Wrong place to mess around.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous and stupid, and they’re all in jail,” White said. “That is not a place to go f—k around.”
The incident occurred Wednesday in the lobby of the Yas Hilton hotel ahead of this weekend’s Real American Freestyle (RAF) event in Abu Dhabi. Dvalishvili was conducting an interview when Nurmagomedov and several members of his entourage approached him from behind.
Video footage showed Nurmagomedov saying something to Dvalishvili before striking him across the face, sparking an all-out brawl involving both groups (watch here). “The Machine” was left with a bloody cut on his face.
RAF officials confirmed Thursday that Nurmagomedov will not be allowed to attend Saturday’s event. The promotion is working with local authorities and remains hopeful Dvalishvili will be released in time to compete against former UFC title challenger Marlon Moraes.
The incident also raised questions about Nurmagomedov’s fighting future. The undefeated Russian has recently been linked to a potential move to UFC, but White quickly poured cold water on that speculation.
White clarified that Nurmagomedov remains under contract with PFL and said UFC has not been in contact with him.
