Usman Nurmagomedov and seven associates have been sentenced to six months in jail following a violent altercation in an Abu Dhabi hotel lobby.
The group was ordered to pay a fine of Dh300,000, or approximately $81,700, after the incident involving Merab Dvalishvili, as reported by local outlets.
The brawl, which featured six individuals swarming Dvalishvili, was captured in a widely circulated video, according to recent media reports.
Saba Lazishvili, a friend of Dvalishvili, intervened during the melee and was subsequently added to the Real American Freestyle (RAF) Abu Dhabi card to replace Umar Nurmagomedov in a match against Urijah Faber, the organization announced.
Umar Nurmagomedov is considered the suspected catalyst for the ongoing tensions, which stem from a long-standing rivalry between the fighters, noted the Yahoo Sports coverage.
UFC President Dana White addressed the incident during a recent press conference, stating, “that is not a place to f*** around.”
White further remarked on the business implications of such altercations, saying, “That stuff’s never good for business, it makes everybody involved look bad.”
The manager for the Nurmagomedov team, Ali Abdelaziz, issued a formal apology to the country of Abu Dhabi regarding the conduct of his fighters, the outlets reported.
Dvalishvili was later released from detention, where he claimed his shoelaces were confiscated, forcing him to fashion replacements from a plastic bag.
Lazishvili, who was released from custody on Friday, is now scheduled to compete in the upcoming wrestling event.
It remains unclear if the sentenced individuals will be required to serve the full duration of their confinement.