Islam Makhachev defends Usman Nurmagomedov's brutal attack on Merab Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi

UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev came out in defense of Usman Nurmagomedov on Wednesday following Nurmagomedov’s bloody attack of Merab Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi.Makhachev, Uncrowned’s No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound MMA fighter, wrote on Instagram that “whatever happened today, was started by Merab,” and questioned why critics were “silent when Merab slapped the Dagestani fighter and insulted his honor?” Makhachev’s full statement, translated by Uncrowned's Kristina Avsarkisova:“Those who are judging Usman and the guys and insulting them right now, why were you silent when Merab slapped the Dagestani fighter and insulted his honor?”“That man approached him with no ill intent, just to talk. Whatever happened today, was started by Merab when he allowed himself to slap and cuss out a guest in his homeland.”Dvalishvili infamously slapped a friend and training partner of the Nurmagomedov clan, Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov, in a backstage altercation prior to the RAF Georgia event in Tbilisi, Georgia this past July. Gadzhimagomedov allegedly approached Dvalishvili after the event’s pre-match press conference, grabbed him and aggressively asked in Russian what the former UFC bantamweight champion’s problem with Umar Nurmagomedov was.Umar Nurmagomedov is the younger brother of Usman and has publicly feuded with Dvalishvili since the two collided in a heated grudge match at UFC 311 in January 2025, which Dvalishvili won via unanimous decision to defend his UFC bantamweight title.Alex Hernandez and Brandon Royval react to footage of Usman Nurmagomedov and his team jumping Merab Dvalishvili:“That's the most lame, deplorable shit of all time.Walking up, they've already got the camera out. They had a huddle, discussed it, and then walked over, tapped… pic.twitter.com/7srYOsGdrf— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 11, 2026Makhachev, a record-breaking two-division UFC champion, is longtime teammates and friends with both Nurmagomedov brothers. Makhachev’s mentor and coach, UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, is the cousin of both Usman and Umar. Tensions between Team Nurmagomedov and Dvalishvili hit a boiling point Wednesday when shocking footage emerged of Usman Nurmagomedov jumping Dvalishvili in a vicious group attack in a hotel lobby in Abu Dhabi prior to Saturday’s RAF event. 🚨 Full footage of the scuffle between Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili pic.twitter.com/SGJzkQdFif— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 11, 2026The attack, which left Dvalishvili and a friend badly bloodied, has drawn immense criticism from fellow MMA fighters since video of the incident emerged.Usman Nurmagomedov, Umar's younger brother, is a former Bellator and PFL lightweight champion who is currently an MMA free agent.Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov are both in Abu Dhabi for Saturday's RAF freestyle wrestling event, with both men scheduled to compete on the card in separate matches. It is currently unclear whether either man will remain on Saturday's card; Dvalishvili is scheduled to wrestle Marlon Moraes, while Umar Nurmagomedov is expected to wrestle UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber.