Dana White bans Dillon Danis from UFC event following brawl in New York
Dana White takes the blame for the brawl between Dillon Danis and Team Khabib at UFC 322.
Dana White did not take responsibility when asked about the large brawl that broke out during UFC 322 on Saturday night, November 15th, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
“I actually blame myself for that,” UFC CEO White said in a post-event press conference.
White said that before appearing on the main card and leaving, he was told that MMA fighter Dillon Danis was in the arena and was not sitting in his seat, but in the fighter’s seat. In 2018, Danis was involved in a brawl after Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor by submission at UFC 229.
McGregor’s teammate Danis was subsequently suspended for seven months and fined $7,500 for his involvement in the incident. He denied allegations that he directed Muslim slurs at Nurmagomedov.
In 2023, Danis boxed against Logan Paul, but was disqualified in the sixth round after attempting a takedown and illegal choke.
Now, back to Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
“He had a ticket, but they said, ‘Do you want him out of here?'” White said of Danis. ”
White suggested there was another potential problem: A retired UFC fighter disrespectfully told people he was going to injure Danis “on the field,” and when told that the fighter was seated six or seven rows away from Danis, White said he responded, “Well, if that guy has a ticket, let him sit in his seat and watch what he’s doing and watch him.”
“I had no idea it was so stupid that the entire Muslim Brotherhood was here tonight in the first five rows because of Islam.”
That’s Islam Makhachev, who fought in the main event and teamed up with Nurmagomedov, the primary combatant with Danis during the brawl at UFC 229.
Sure enough, a brawl broke out at Madison Square Garden, with Danis instigating it.
White said, “And the moment it broke out, I was on the other side and I said, ‘(Expletive), I know exactly what it is. I knew it. And yeah, I’ll never see Dillon Danis in a UFC fight again.’
