Eight jailed and two fined over Abu Dhabi hotel fight incident

Abu Dhabi judicial authorities have sentenced ten individuals involved in a brawl at a hotel entrance to prison terms, fines, and deportation orders following a swift legal response.

On November 13, the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court convicted the defendants after the incident, which was widely circulated on social media. The police arrested eight people directly involved in the fight and two others who were recording the event.

Six of the defendants received six-month jail sentences, were fined Dh300,000 each, and will be deported after completing their sentences. They were found guilty of disturbing public security, causing panic, and endangering lives.

Two additional defendants were fined Dh50,000 each for disturbing public security and assaulting others, according to a statement from the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.

The remaining two defendants, who filmed and published footage of the brawl using information technology, were sentenced to six months in prison, fined Dh300,000 each, and ordered to be deported. Their phones were confiscated, and the court mandated deletion of the recorded material.

Authorities emphasized their ongoing commitment to enforcing laws that protect public safety and urged the public to respect the rule of law.

Context of the incident

The arrests followed the circulation of a viral video showing a fight involving UFC fighters Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov. However, Abu Dhabi officials have not officially linked the hotel altercation to these athletes.

Both fighters were in Abu Dhabi for the Real American Freestyle (RAF) event. Dvalishvili was scheduled to compete against Marlon Moraes, while Nurmagomedov was present to support his brother, Umar, who was set to face Urijah Faber.

At a press conference after the arrests, RAF co-founder and CEO Chad Bronstein stated the organization does not support such incidents and is cooperating with UAE authorities. He noted that Usman Nurmagomedov would not participate in the event, while Merab Dvalishvili was expected to compete.

What this means for you

• Involvement in public brawls can lead to imprisonment, heavy fines, and deportation in Abu Dhabi.
• Recording and sharing footage of violent incidents may result in legal penalties including jail and fines.
• Authorities are actively monitoring and prosecuting acts that threaten public security.
• Sports event attendees should be aware that misconduct related to such events is taken seriously by law enforcement.