PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov and his entourage have been sentenced to six months in prison following an altercation in Abu Dhabi, according to “The National” news outlet.
Just two days after the group attacked former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, the court issued its verdict on the incident “as reported by Yahoo Sports”.
The six men who attacked Dvalishvili and his friend Saba Lazishvili were punished for disturbing public security, causing panic and endangering lives, per “The National”.
The convicted individuals were also fined Dh300,000, which is roughly $82,000, and will face deportation from the country once their prison sentences are completed, “according to Yahoo Sports”.
Two additional men who filmed the physical altercation were given the exact same sentence, “the text noted”.
Meanwhile, Merab Dvalishvili and Saba Lazishvili were freed from jail and given a fine of Dh50,000, equating to $14,000, “the report specified”.
Usman Nurmagomedov’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, issued a public statement addressing the physical altercation involving the fighters, “via MMA Junkie”.
Abdelaziz condemned the violent confrontation by telling the media “What happened was something unacceptable. … I don’t think there’s any words I can say to make this better.”
Brawls have historically broken out around mixed martial arts events with participants often escaping serious punishment, “analysts observed”.
It remains to be seen whether Nurmagomedov will ultimately serve the full duration of his handed-down prison sentence, “Yahoo Sports reported”.
Observers hope the strict legal outcome will make professional fighters consider potential legal consequences before engaging in violence outside of athletic cages, “the publication concluded”.