Eight sentenced to jail in UAE over brawl involving two MMA fighters

Eight people have received prison sentences for their part in a mass brawl involving MMA fighters Usman Nurmagomedov and Merab Dvalishvili at a hotel in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. A video of the incident appeared to show Russian Nurmagomedov slapping former UFC bantamweight champion Dvalishvili after approaching the Georgian from behind.

Fighting then broke out between the two and members of their teams, with Abu Dhabi police later confirming the incident led to 10 arrests being made. According to a social media post by Abu Dhabi's judicial department, all 10 defendants have been convicted for their part in the brawl.

A report by Abu Dhabi news outlet the National , external went into more detail, adding that six of the defendants were sentenced to six months in prison, fined £62,000 each and ordered to be deported after completing their sentences. Two others were given the same punishment, but for "violating privacy by using information technology to film and publish footage of the brawl".