Former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili has reportedly been cleared to fight at RAF in Abu Dhabi, only days after he was ambushed in a hotel lobby in the emirate. The bout is reportedly against Marlon Moraes on the RAF card, which is set to stream on FOX Nation, giving the former champion a return to competition shortly after a violent confrontation that drew attention well beyond the fight world.
The attack reportedly involved Dvalishvili's 21-year-old Georgian friend, Sabaa Lazishvili, who defended himself during the scuffle. Lazishvili has since been added to Saturday's RAF Abu Dhabi card at Etihad Arena, where he reportedly replaces Umar Nurmagomedov and is scheduled to face Urijah Faber. The change means one of the most closely watched cards in the promotion's calendar will feature a fighter who was present at the center of the incident rather than the man originally slated for the bout.
Umar Nurmagomedov reportedly faces six months in prison after the attack, along with an $82,000 fine. Following his sentence, he is also reportedly facing deportation. The reporting links the confrontation to the rivalry surrounding the UFC 311 bantamweight title fight, which Dvalishvili went on to win by unanimous decision. That history gives the episode a competitive backdrop, though the notes available do not detail the exact sequence of events in the lobby.
Dvalishvili has said he does not want to press charges against those involved, a position that stands in contrast to the legal consequences reportedly facing Nurmagomedov. RAF chief executive Chad Bronstein issued a statement praising the authorities in Abu Dhabi for their handling of the situation, signaling that the promotion regards the matter as resolved through official channels.
The developments leave Saturday's RAF card in Abu Dhabi with a reshaped lineup following the removal of Nurmagomedov, while Dvalishvili's clearance to compete allows him to return to the cage in the same event window. For fans, the card now carries a double storyline: a returning former champion and a young fighter who was part of the incident taking the place of a man facing prison time and deportation.