Fighters often have a competitive edge that carries beyond the octagon, and altercations away from events are hardly unheard of. Another broke out in Abu Dhabi last week.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili was confronted in a hotel lobby by MMA free agent Usman Nurmagomedov, the younger brother of Dvalishvili’s former opponent Umar. Usman and members of his group were sentenced to six months in prison.
Bruce Buffer, the UFC’s longtime ring announcer, has been around the sport since 1996 and says he has witnessed plenty of tense moments. He recalled being at the Khabib Nurmagomedov–Conor McGregor fight, when Khabib jumped over the cage, as well as seeing other brawls over the years. Khabib is a cousin of Usman and Umar.
The UFC returns to Madison Square Garden on Saturday. At the venue’s previous fight event, Dillon Danis was involved in a fight with members of lightweight champion Islam Makhachev’s team in the stands. Danis was later banned from UFC events, a decision Buffer supports.
Buffer said Danis should remain banned, arguing that he repeatedly causes trouble and has no reason to be around the organization.
He also remembered a fight after UFC 13 in 1997. Buffer said he was speaking with Tank Abbott at an after-party when Wallid Ismail struck Abbott with an overhand right, setting off a larger brawl.
Buffer’s advice in that kind of situation is to keep your back to a wall, stay aware of who is nearby and know where the exit is. “Things happen,” he said.
He was sorry to see Dvalishvili fined, saying he did not believe the fighter was at fault. Still, Buffer noted that local laws apply: people should not throw punches outside the ring or octagon. In Abu Dhabi, he said, the consequences can be serious.
