Cormier Condemns Nurmagomedov After Merab Assault

Daniel Cormier publicly criticized teammate Usman Nurmagomedov following an attack on bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi.

The former two-division UFC champion broke with his usual loyalty to his Dagestan training partners, calling the incident unacceptable. "It should never happen," Cormier said, per MMA Mania. Dvalishvili remains in custody in the United Arab Emirates after the altercation, which reportedly involved eight people arrested by Abu Dhabi police.

Rare Public Split From Dagestan Camp

Cormier's willingness to call out Nurmagomedov marks an unusual departure from the tight-knit circle around American Kickboxing Academy and its Dagestan fighters. The incident has intensified tensions between Georgian and Russian competitors in MMA, with Dvalishvili's camp demanding his immediate release.

Nurmagomedov has not issued a statement about his alleged involvement. No court date has been announced for any of the detained parties.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Daniel Cormier condemns teammate Nurmagomedov’s assault of Merab: ‘It should never happen’