Merab Dvalishvili says UFC wants to sign Saba Lazishvili after PFL contract offer
Merab Dvalishvili says the UFC wants to sign his friend Saba Lazishvili, who beat Urijah Faber 12-7 at RAF Abu Dhabi, and that the PFL has already offered a contract.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili says both the UFC and the PFL want to sign his friend and training partner Saba Lazishvili. He made the comments on Saturday, November 14, in Abu Dhabi, after Lazishvili beat UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber 12-7 on points at Real American Freestyle (RAF) Abu Dhabi.
The comments were shared in a video clip by Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) on X and picked up by Heavy.com. Neither the UFC nor the PFL has commented, and no deal has been announced.
What Dvalishvili said
"PFL contacted us and offered him a contract to fight. The UFC also wants to sign him. They have this kind of program where athletes can develop with them. We'll probably choose the UFC," Dvalishvili said, according to the Heavy.com transcript. He added that Lazishvili has not had a fight yet.
In other words, by Dvalishvili's account, the PFL has made a concrete offer, while the UFC's interest is in bringing Lazishvili in as a developing prospect. Dvalishvili did not name the UFC program. He also did not say whether any terms had been discussed.
From hotel brawl to RAF win
Lazishvili, who has no professional MMA fights, became one of the most talked-about names in combat sports this week. He was with Dvalishvili during Wednesday's hotel brawl in Abu Dhabi with Usman Nurmagomedov and his group. An Abu Dhabi court then handed six months in prison to eight defendants. Two were fined Dh50,000 each, and local and Georgian reports said those two were Dvalishvili and Lazishvili. Both were released on Friday.
Ariel Helwani reported on Friday that Lazishvili, whom he described as Dvalishvili's 21-year-old friend, had been added to the RAF card in place of Umar Nurmagomedov, who was scheduled to face Faber. On Saturday, Lazishvili came back from an early points deficit against the bigger Faber and won 12-7, according to Bleacher Report's live blog and MMA Fighting's results. RAF billed him as "The BMF of RAF" on the arena screen.
Dvalishvili also won on the card, pinning Marlon Moraes at 1:30 of the first period.
Family ties to the UFC
Heavy.com notes that Lazishvili's brother, Zviad Lazishvili, fought once in the UFC and lost a decision to Jonathan Martinez in 2021. Saba Lazishvili comes from a wrestling background and trains with Dvalishvili, one of the most decorated wrestlers in UFC history.
What's confirmed and what isn't
- Confirmed: Lazishvili beat Faber 12-7 at RAF Abu Dhabi on November 14.
- Dvalishvili's claim: the PFL has offered Lazishvili a contract and the UFC wants to sign him.
- Not confirmed: any signing, contract terms or MMA debut date. Neither promotion has made a statement.
We will update this story if Lazishvili signs with either promotion.
Source: Championship Rounds on X: Merab Dvalishvili reveals the UFC is interested in signing Saba Lazishvili, PFL offer (Nov 14, 2026), Heavy.com: UFC interested in Merab Dvalishvili's friend Saba Lazishvili (Nov 14, 2026), Adam Martin on X: The UFC is interested in signing Saba Lazishvili, Championship Rounds on X: Saba Lazishvili beats Urijah Faber in his RAF debut (via RAF), Bleacher Report: RAF Abu Dhabi live updates and results (Lazishvili def. Faber 12-7), MMA Fighting: RAF Abu Dhabi results, Khamzat vs. Weidman.