Usman Nurmagomedov Barred from RAF Abu Dhabi as Police Confirm 10 Arrests

Abu Dhabi Police have arrested 10 people after the hotel brawl involving the camps of Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov. Real American Freestyle has also barred Usman from its Abu Dhabi event on Saturday.

Those are the first official law-enforcement and promotional consequences from Wednesday's confrontation. They confirm that the fallout has moved beyond social-media accusations, but neither announcement settles who will compete at RAF Abu Dhabi.

Police confirm 10 arrests without naming anyone

In a statement published Thursday, Abu Dhabi Police said eight people involved in a fight at a hotel entrance were arrested. Two more people were arrested for filming it. The force said all 10 were referred to the Public Prosecution for further proceedings.

The police statement did not name any of the 10 people or specify charges. That distinction matters after early reports identified individual fighters before authorities had released a count. Police have confirmed the number of arrests, not the identity or legal status of each person.

Video from the hotel shows Nurmagomedov approaching Dvalishvili during an interview and appearing to strike him across the face before a larger fight breaks out. Dvalishvili later posted video of a cut near his left eye and accused Nurmagomedov's group of attacking him and a young Georgian wrestler from behind. FightPulse covered those initial allegations and the available footage Wednesday night.

RAF tells Usman to stay away

RAF co-founder Chad Bronstein addressed the incident at Thursday's event press conference. "Obviously, Usman will not be attending our event on Saturday night," Bronstein told reporters, according to Reuters.

Bronstein said the promotion was working through the situation with UAE authorities and still hoped Dvalishvili would compete. Usman was not booked to wrestle on the card. He traveled to Abu Dhabi to support his brother Umar Nurmagomedov, who is scheduled to face Urijah Faber.

The ban therefore removes Usman from the venue rather than cancelling one of his own matches. The immediate sporting questions concern Dvalishvili and Umar, both of whom were absent from the press conference, according to MMA Fighting.

Merab and Umar remain on the official card

FightPulse checked RAF's official event page after the police statement and Bronstein's comments. It still listed Dvalishvili against Marlon Moraes and Umar against Faber. A listing is not medical clearance or a guarantee that either match will proceed, but the promotion had not removed them from the advertised card.

RAF Abu Dhabi is scheduled for November 14 at Etihad Arena. The confirmed picture is narrow: 10 people were arrested and referred to prosecutors, Usman has been barred from the event, and the two affected matchups remain listed. Authorities have not publicly identified the detainees, while RAF has not announced a cancellation.