Merab Dvalishvili put out a call for help after being arrested in Abu Dhabi, and Real American Freestyle answered it.
Dvalishvili and his friend Saba Lazishvili got jumped in the United Arab Emirates capital by Usman Nurmagomedov and several others, leading to a big brawl. Abu Dhabi authorities didn’t seem to care too much who started the fracas, arresting everyone who participated, even those filming.
That was on Wednesday, November 11th. On Thursday, November 12th, Lazishvili’s brother reported that Merab and Saba were still in jail and could be held for two more days before seeing a judge. He called out for help from anyone with connections in the region, but if he expected the folks at UFC and TKO to intercede, he didn’t get a very receptive response from UFC CEO Dana White.
“What a bunch of f—king idiots,” White declared. “It’s absolutely ridiculous and stupid, and they’re all in jail. That is not a place to go f—k around.”
Fortunately for Dvalishvili, Real American Freestyle CEO and co-founder Chad Bronstein made it a top priority to secure Merab’s release. Ariel Helwani reports that Bronstein ‘worked tirelessly’ to get Dvalishvili and Lazishvili out of jail, resulting in their release just hours ago.
“I’m pleased to share that Merab Dvalishvili is back with us in Abu Dhabi,” Bronstein wrote in a statement. “We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the relevant authorities in Abu Dhabi for their professionalism and support. We remain focused on moving forward and are pleasd to have Merab back with us.”
It’s unclear at this exact moment whether Dvalishvili will move forward with his scheduled RAF Abu Dhabi match against fellow former UFC fighter Marlon Moraes. It’s also unclear whether Usman Nurmagomedov and the others who instigated this brawl have also been released from jail or if they remain in custody.
