🚨 FROM UNKNOWN WRESTLER TO INTERNET SENSATION: Saba Lazishvili Gains OVER 500,000 Instagram Followers After Abu Dhabi Brawl — Now Gets a Fight With UFC Legend Urijah Faber!
Just days ago, few MMA fans outside Georgia knew his name. Now, Saba Lazishvili has become one of the most talked-about young athletes in combat sports — and his rise has been nothing short of extraordinary.
The 21-year-old Georgian wrestler found himself at the center of international attention following the explosive hotel lobby confrontation in Abu Dhabi involving former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili and Russian MMA star Usman Nurmagomedov.
But while Merab was the main figure in the confrontation, it was his young Georgian companion who unexpectedly became an internet sensation.
FROM JUST 3,000 FOLLOWERS TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
Before the incident, Lazishvili reportedly had approximately 3,000 Instagram followers.
Then the footage from Abu Dhabi spread across social media.
Within less than 24 hours, reports indicated that his account had surged to approximately 405,000 followers. By November 13, other media reports said he had surpassed the half-million mark.
The extraordinary growth transformed the young wrestler into a viral personality almost overnight.
Fans began sharing clips, discussing his involvement in the confrontation and praising what they viewed as his loyalty to Dvalishvili.
Some viral social media claims even suggested that Lazishvili knocked down three opponents during the chaotic encounter. However, that specific claim has not been independently verified.
WHO IS SABA LAZISHVILI?
Unlike his sudden internet fame might suggest, Lazishvili is not a complete newcomer to combat sports.
The 21-year-old comes from a wrestling background and is the younger brother of former UFC fighter Zviad Lazishvili.
His wrestling experience has now become a major talking point among MMA fans, many of whom are eager to see how he performs in a professional sporting environment.
AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY: A MATCH AGAINST UFC LEGEND
Perhaps the biggest twist came after the controversy.
Real American Freestyle (RAF) announced that Lazishvili would replace Umar Nurmagomedov on its Abu Dhabi event card.
His scheduled opponent? None other than former UFC champion and MMA legend Urijah Faber.
The opportunity marks a major moment in the young Georgian’s career, giving him an international platform just days after becoming a viral sensation.
Importantly, this is a professional wrestling appearance, not an MMA debut.
THE INTERNET HAS A NEW NAME TO WATCH
Merab Dvalishvili may have been at the center of the Abu Dhabi controversy, but Saba Lazishvili has emerged with an unexpected spotlight of his own.
From approximately 3,000 followers to more than half a million, from relative obscurity to a high-profile matchup against a UFC legend, his rise has captured the attention of the combat sports community.
But viral fame is one thing. Proving himself on the competition stage is another.
Can Saba turn this unexpected opportunity into the beginning of a serious wrestling career — or will the pressure of his sudden fame become his biggest challenge yet?
One thing is certain: the MMA world now knows his name.
