RAF Abu Dhabi Event Concludes with Multiple Wins and Security Concerns
The RAF Abu Dhabi event concluded with notable victories and raised concerns over athlete safety following a series of incidents.

Khamzat Chimaev secured a technical fall victory over Chris Weidman in the main event of the RAF Abu Dhabi event, continuing his dominance in the competition. This result was reported by SB Nation, which highlighted Chimaev's performance as a continuation of his successful streak at the event. The match took place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. [1]
Merab Dvalishvili, a former UFC bantamweight champion, defeated Marlon Moraes in the co-main event, despite being involved in a chaotic hotel lobby brawl with Usman Nurmagomedov and his team earlier in the week. SB Nation reported that Dvalishvili's victory came just days after the incident, which involved multiple individuals and led to eight people being sentenced to jail for their roles in the brawl. [1]
Saba Lazishvili, a teammate of Merab Dvalishvili, replaced Umar Nurmagomedov in the event's lineup after the brawl and went on to defeat Urijah Faber in a surprise upset. According to MMA Junkie, Lazishvili's win was described as a breakout moment, coming shortly after his release from custody following the incident. The event's lineup was finalized after a week of turmoil, with multiple changes made to the card. [1]
UFC president Dana White criticized RAF for its failure to secure its athletes, citing the recurring incidents of brawls at their events. This statement was reported by HEAVY, which noted that the attack on Merab Dvalishvili by Usman Nurmagomedov and his team was not the first such incident at an RAF event. White's comments highlighted ongoing concerns about the event's security protocols. [1]
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Khamzat Chimaev secured a technical fall victory over Chris Weidman in the main event of the RAF Abu Dhabi event, continuing his dominance in the competition. This outcome was reported by multiple sources covering the event, highlighting Chimaev's continued success in the sport. [1]
Merab Dvalishvili, a former UFC bantamweight champion, defeated Marlon Moraes in the co-main event, despite being involved in a chaotic hotel lobby brawl with Usman Nurmagomedov and his team earlier in the week. The incident occurred days before the event, and Dvalishvili was released from custody shortly before competing. [1]
Saba Lazishvili, a teammate of Merab Dvalishvili, replaced Umar Nurmagomedov in the event's lineup after the brawl and went on to defeat Urijah Faber in a surprise upset. Lazishvili's victory marked a significant moment in his career, as he stepped in on short notice following the incident. [1]
UFC president Dana White criticized RAF for its failure to secure its athletes, citing the recurring incidents involving fighters. White expressed concerns over the safety of athletes at RAF events, pointing to the recent brawl as a clear example of inadequate security measures. [1]
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UFC president Dana White criticized RAF for its failure to secure its athletes, citing the recurring incidents of violence at their events. White pointed to the recent hotel lobby brawl involving Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov's team as an example of the ongoing issues with event security. The incident occurred ahead of the RAF Abu Dhabi event and raised concerns about the safety of fighters and staff. The brawl led to multiple individuals being sentenced to jail for their involvement, according to reports from BBC. [1]
Merab Dvalishvili, a former UFC bantamweight champion, was involved in the hotel lobby brawl but was still able to compete in the co-main event against Marlon Moraes. Despite the chaos, Dvalishvili secured a victory, showcasing his resilience. His teammate, Saba Lazishvili, replaced Umar Nurmagomedov in the event's lineup after the brawl and went on to defeat Urijah Faber in a surprise upset, as reported by SB Nation. [1]
The incident highlighted the challenges faced by event organizers in maintaining a safe environment for athletes. Dana White's comments came after the event, emphasizing the need for improved security protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future. The situation has sparked discussions about the responsibility of event organizers in ensuring the well-being of participants, according to coverage from HEAVY and MMA Junkie. [1]
UFC president Dana White criticized RAF for its failure to secure its athletes, citing the recurring incidents of violence at their events. This criticism comes after a chaotic week that included a hotel lobby brawl involving Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov's team (source ID: 1). [1]
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Merab Dvalishvili, a former UFC bantamweight champion, was involved in the hotel lobby brawl but was still able to compete in the co-main event against Marlon Moraes. Despite the incident, Dvalishvili managed to secure a victory over Moraes (source ID: 1). [1]
Saba Lazishvili, a teammate of Merab Dvalishvili, replaced Umar Nurmagomedov in the event's lineup after the brawl and went on to defeat Urijah Faber in a surprise upset. This change in the lineup highlights the impact of the brawl on the event's schedule (source ID: 1). [1]
Sources
Prepared with AI assistance from the cited sources.
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