Dillon Danis found himself in yet another chaotic scene on Saturday night, and this time, it cost him a lifetime ban from the UFC.
The Misfits MMA champion, who’s set to return to the crossover scene hoped to show the UFC he could be trusted. Instead, he left Madison Square Garden with more headlines, more bad blood, and zero chance of attending another UFC event.
Danis, who has built a reputation for stirring trouble, clashed with members of Islam Makhachev’s team just moments before the UFC 322 main card kicked off. Videos from the arena showed Danis in the middle of a heated brawl involving Khabib Nurmagomedov’s camp, including former UFC fighter Abubakar Nurmagomedov.
Security rushed in, and UFC executive Hunter Campbell even stepped in to calm the escalating situation.
For fans who’ve followed Danis for years, the chaos wasn’t surprising. His feud with the Nurmagomedov camp runs deep.
The rivalry exploded in 2018 when Khabib jumped out of the Octagon and attacked Danis after submitting Conor McGregor. Danis served as McGregor’s grappling coach for that fight, and both camps traded vicious jabs leading up to the incident. Clearly, the tension never died. UFC 322 proved that.
Dana White didn’t waste time taking action. The UFC CEO issued Danis a lifetime ban from all UFC events, an extremely rare punishment. It puts Danis among the few fighters White has publicly shut the door on.
However, the night wasn’t all about Dillon Danis. White was also asked about a potential Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul fight. His reaction was immediate and brutal.
“Oh Jesus… that’s a f*cking bad idea,” White said. He predicted fans would tune in just to watch Paul get knocked out. “Everybody knows what they’re tuning in for. And I think everybody’s finally going to get what they’ve been waiting for.”
Jake Paul and White have traded shots for years, and Paul fired back after the press conference, calling White a failed boxing promoter and accusing him of mistreating fighters. White later mocked Paul on the “Impaulsive” podcast for threatening lawsuits when others talk negatively about him.
While the Paul drama continues, Danis remains the biggest headline of the night, not for fighting in the cage, but for getting removed from one.
Dillon Danis once again grabbed attention for all the wrong reasons. His latest outburst solidifies his place as one of combat sports’ most unpredictable figures, one banned from the UFC but still very much part of its orbit.
