New footage shows Merab struck first in RAF Georgia brawl
New footage from the Real American Freestyle (RAF) Georgia press conference shows Merab Dvalishvili struck first during a brawl with Umar Nurmagomedov's camp. The clip captures Dvalishvili grabbing Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov's shirt and punching him before security separated roughly 50 people. Umar Nurmagomedov was not present but condemned the altercation on X hours later.
The July 10 scuffle in Tbilisi overshadowed Merab Dvalishvili's scheduled wrestling main event against Henry Cejudo at RAF Georgia on July 11. Real American Freestyle has built a reputation for chaotic press events, and this incident reignited one of UFC's bitterest rivalries. For readers tracking crossover combat-sports moments that drive viral attention, our Fintech & Crypto Alerts feed covers high-impact stories as they break.
Key Takeaways
- New video shows Merab Dvalishvili grabbed Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov and threw the first punch at the RAF Georgia press conference.
- Dvalishvili declined to wrestle Umar Nurmagomedov on stage, calling him a spoiled guy minutes before the confrontation.
- Gadzhimagomedov is a World Wrestling Championships bronze medalist and training partner of Nurmagomedov.
- Umar Nurmagomedov responded on X, framing the clash as a question of honor rather than random fan aggression.
- The brawl adds pressure for a UFC rematch Dvalishvili has repeatedly rejected since their January 2025 decision.
What does the new RAF footage actually show?
Earlier clips from Tbilisi showed a crowded melee but did not settle who started the physical exchange. Fresh angles published by Yahoo Sports make the sequence clearer.
The video places Dvalishvili face-to-face with Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov, a World Wrestling Championships bronze medalist and training partner of Umar Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili grabs the front of Gadzhimagomedov's shirt, then swings at him, turning a verbal confrontation into a shove-and-separate scene that required security and police intervention.
Why did Umar Nurmagomedov's camp confront Merab Dvalishvili?
The flashpoint came during the RAF Georgia pre-fight press conference on July 10. When asked whether he would wrestle Umar Nurmagomedov under the Real American Freestyle banner, Dvalishvili did not hesitate.
"No, never. F— that guy," Dvalishvili replied, per Bloody Elbow and MMA Sucka. "Whoever RAF chooses, I'll fight. Except this spoiled guy." Members of the Dagestani entourage and supporters in attendance took immediate exception, and the verbal exchange escalated into the hallway scuffle.
The bad blood stretches back to UFC 311 in January 2025, when Dvalishvili beat Nurmagomedov by decision with scorecards of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46. Nurmagomedov's camp has argued a badly broken hand limited Umar in that fight and has pushed hard for a rematch. Dvalishvili has said he is not interested while his UFC title path moves elsewhere, including a planned rematch with champion Petr Yan.
What did Umar Nurmagomedov say after the brawl?
Although Nurmagomedov was not in Georgia for the incident, he addressed it on X shortly after footage spread online. "On the Caucasus, a man is defined by honor, dignity, and hospitality," he wrote. "My friend only asked why you were talking behind someone's back."
"I don't need to insult you to feel like a man. Who you really are is shown when there's no crowd and no one to step in." The statement reframed the confrontation as a challenge to Dvalishvili's character rather than a random fan dispute, keeping the rematch narrative alive without escalating into further insults.
Does this change the Merab and Umar rivalry?
RAF officials kept the Georgia card moving, and Dvalishvili still faced Henry Cejudo in the main event on July 11. But the press-conference brawl gave the promotion a second storyline before competition even began.
Ironically, Dvalishvili's refusal to engage Nurmagomedov again has only intensified public demand for a second UFC meeting. With a large Dagestani contingent in Georgia for the wrestling event and fresh footage confirming Dvalishvili threw the first punch, the rivalry between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov looks no closer to cooling down.