The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court issued rulings convicting 10 individuals following a violent brawl that erupted between mixed martial arts (MMA) stars Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili, along with members of their teams inside one of the hotels in the Emirati capital.
The initial spark of the crisis ignited just before the start of a wrestling event organized by the RAF, where Omar (Usman Nurmagomedov's brother) and Merab Dvalishvili were scheduled to compete against different opponents.
According to ESPN, six members of "Team Nurmagomedov" were sentenced to six months in prison, along with a financial fine of 300,000 dirhams (approximately $81,600), and immediate deportation after serving their sentence.
In contrast, according to The National, Dvalishvili (the former UFC bantamweight champion) and a friend were fined 50,000 dirhams ($13,600) for "disturbing public order and assaulting others".
The sentences did not only apply to those involved in the brawl; the court also punished two additional individuals with six months in prison for violating privacy, after they filmed the altercation and posted the footage online, with their phones confiscated and the clips deleted.
The chaos began last Wednesday in the lobby of the Yas Hilton hotel while Georgian fighter Dvalishvili was conducting a media interview. Videos showed Usman Nurmagomedov (the PFL lightweight champion and cousin of retired legend Khabib Nurmagomedov) approaching from behind and slapping Dvalishvili, igniting a physical altercation and a widespread fight between the two teams.
Usman was not scheduled to fight in Abu Dhabi but traveled to the Emirates to accompany his older brother "Omar," who was set to face Origa Faber.
In response to the incident, event organizers made a firm decision on Friday to exclude "Omar" from the bout, replacing him with fighter Saba Lazishvili (Dvalishvili's friend who also participated in the brawl).