Who is Dillon Danis? Why Dana White banned MMA fighter after UFC brawl at Madison Square Garden

Teddy Ricketson

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Who is Dillon Danis? Why Dana White banned MMA fighter after UFC brawl at Madison Square Garden image

UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden made headlines before the main card of the event even got underway. 

Between the featured prelim match and the start of the main card, a brawl broke out in the crowd. Tempers flared as former UFC fighter Dillon Danis was fighting with the teammates of Islam Makhachev, who was fighting in the main event against welterweight champion Jack Della Maddelena. 

UFC CEO and President Dana White has now banned Danis for his actions in the fight. White announced no other bans or punishments for the brawl that occurred. 

Here is more on why White has decided to ban Danis from the UFC.

MORE: Full results from UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden

UFC brawl at MSG

According to White, Danis had a ticket to the PPV, and the UFC CEO was informed that Danis was moving seats and not sitting in his assigned seat. White said to keep an eye on it, but brushed it off. Moments later, a massive fight broke out, with Danis in the center of it. 

This brawl didn't involve anyone fighting at UFC 332, and was purely between Danis and Makhachev's team. 

There is history between the two sides stemming from 2018 when Danis was training with Conor McGregor, who was set to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov, the training partner of Makhachev. After Nurmagomedov beat McGregor, Nurmagomedov attacked Danis in a brawl in the cage that spilled out into the stands as Nurmagomedov jumped the cage and went into the crowd at Danis. 

Who is Dillon Danis?

Danis is an MMA fighter and boxer. He is the current MF MMA Light Heavyweight Champion and is not currently signed to the UFC.

Danis is most known for his boxing match against Logan Paul. He was initially scheduled to fight KSI, but the bout was cancelled. Danis then boxed Paul, but was DQ'd in the sixth round for an attempted illegal takedown and choke.

He has a 3-0-0 MMA record and a 0-1 boxing record. 

Dana White press conference

White spoke about the situation in a press conference after UFC 322. 

“I blame myself for that [brawl], actually. They came back and told me right before I walked out for the main card that Dillon Danis was here and he was moving around sitting in fighters seats and not sitting in his own seat that he had. He had a ticket. And they said, ‘Do you want us to throw him out of here?’ And I said, ‘He has a ticket?’ And they said, ‘Yeah.’ They told me that [former UFC fighter] [Jorge] Masvidal said he’s going to f–k him up on sight. And I said, ‘Where is Masvidal sitting?’ And they said, ‘Well, he’s six or seven rows away from Masvidal.’ So I said ‘If the guy has a ticket, let him sit in his seat. Let him do what he’s doing, but keep an eye on him.

It never even crossed my mind, as stupid as that could be, that the entire muslin brotherhood was here tonight in the first five rows for Islam [Makhachev]. As soon as it broke out I was over to the side and I said, ‘F–k I know exactly what that is.'

You will never see Dillon Danis at a UFC fight ever again."

Dillon Danis UFC record

Danis has never competed in the UFC. He has a 3-0-0 MMA record, but that is with promotions like Bellator MMA and Misfits MMA. 

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