The Unforgivable Encore: Dana White Bans Dillon Danis From All UFC Events After UFC 322’s Massive Brawl With Team Khabib
The UFC’s reputation for controlled chaos took a massive, detrimental hit on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. Just as the pay-per-view broadcast of UFC 322 was kicking off, the focus abruptly shifted from the highly anticipated action inside the Octagon to a scene of absolute mayhem cageside. Controversial figure Dillon Danis, a longtime associate of Conor McGregor, found himself at the center of a sprawling, violent brawl with members of Khabib Nurmagomedov's extended camp, including Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Magomed "Chanco" Zaynukov. The incident was swift, brutal, and visible, disrupting the event and casting a dark shadow over the main card.
By the time the final bell rang, securing Islam Makhachev’s welterweight title defense against Jack Della Maddalena, the organizational damage had already been assessed. In a post-fight press conference defined by barely contained frustration, UFC President Dana White delivered a definitive ruling that shook the combat sports world: Dillon Danis has been issued a lifetime ban from attending any UFC event, effective immediately.
"I blame myself for that, actually," White admitted, visibly agitated. "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 fighter seats and not sitting in his own seat that he had a ticket for. We should have removed him then. But now? He'll never be at a UFC event again."
The declaration seals Danis’s future relationship with the world's premier MMA promotion, closing the door on any remote possibility of him ever signing with the organization he has frequently claimed to be pursuing. This wasn't just a physical altercation; it was the final, volatile eruption of a seven-year rivalry that had repeatedly stained the UFC brand.
Mayzem at MSG: How the Brawl Erupted Cageside
The atmosphere inside the "World's Most Famous Arena" was electric, a cauldron of energy typical of a major New York City fight night. As the main card began, commentators Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier were preparing to welcome millions of viewers, accompanied by the iconic sounds of The Who's "Baba O’Riley." Instead of focusing on the Octagon, however, the cameras briefly caught a flash of violence that erupted into an all-out, twenty-person scrum near the media section and the cageside seats.
Eyewitness accounts and circulating social media footage paint a picture of utter chaos. Dillon Danis, seated in the lower bowl, reportedly became involved in a heated verbal exchange with members of the Dagestani camp—specifically Abubakar Nurmagomedov, Khabib’s cousin and a former UFC fighter, and Magomed Zaynukov, a close training partner of Islam Makhachev. The exact catalyst remains disputed, but several reports confirm Danis was the initial aggressor, allegedly throwing the first punch or making a highly provocative gesture.
What followed was a terrifying surge of violence. Danis quickly found himself overwhelmed and outnumbered. Bodies tumbled over chairs and plastic barricades, spilling the fight onto the concrete floor of the arena. One eyewitness described the scene as a "wild pile-up" that extended dangerously close to the families of the main event fighters, including Jack Della Maddalena’s mother and wife, who were seated in the front row. The frantic scramble resulted in media tables being overturned and security personnel being swallowed by the melee.
The quick response was essential to preventing a catastrophic escalation. Dozens of security staff and NYPD officers swarmed the area. In a surreal moment captured by several onlookers, UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell, one of the organization's highest-ranking executives, could be seen jumping into the throng, physically attempting to pry fighters apart.
Danis was eventually separated from the group, looking disheveled and clearly outmatched. Footage shows him being detained, briefly handcuffed, and then led away by officers, protesting his innocence with shouts of, "I didn't do anything!" His ejection marked the end of his night, but the collateral damage to the event’s image was only just beginning.
The Ghost of UFC 229: A Rivalry That Refuses to Die
To understand the ferocity of the UFC 322 brawl is to recall the bad blood that has fermented for seven long years. This was not a spontaneous outburst but a direct continuation of the infamous post-fight riot at UFC 229 in 2018, following Khabib Nurmagomedov's submission victory over Conor McGregor.
On that night in Las Vegas, after defeating McGregor, Khabib vaulted the Octagon fence and charged directly at Danis, who was positioned in McGregor’s corner. The moment was shocking and unprecedented, igniting a broader brawl both inside and outside the cage. Danis, then a prominent member of McGregor’s team, had served as a constant irritant in the build-up, using harsh trash talk to provoke the Dagestani fighter. The resulting suspensions and fines issued by the Nevada Athletic Commission were steep, but they did little to quell the underlying hostility.
The core tension is rooted in deep cultural and personal offenses. For Team Khabib and the Dagestani contingent, Danis and the McGregor camp represented a level of disrespect and personal antagonism that crosses sacred lines. For Danis, maintaining the animosity—even after his relationship with McGregor evolved and his own fighting career drifted to other promotions like Misfits MMA—is a core part of his public persona.
The sight of Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Magomed Zaynukov rushing Danis at UFC 322 demonstrates that time has not healed these wounds. In fact, the animosity appears to have intensified, now involving an entire generation of fighters and coaches associated with the legendary lightweight champion. It is a rivalry that, much like a chronic wound, flares up violently whenever the involved parties are in the same proximity, making Danis's presence at any UFC event an inherent organizational liability.
White’s Fury: “He’ll Never Be at a UFC Event Again”
Dana White’s decision to issue a lifetime ban was less a matter of potential legal repercussions and more an immediate measure to protect the integrity and safety of future UFC events. The brawl at MSG was highly visible, occurring during the highest-rated portion of the broadcast, threatening the safety of fans, media, and other fighter’s families.
At the post-fight press conference, White's tone shifted from reflective to stern. He openly castigated Danis’s behavior and questioned his intentions within the sport.
"When you have a guy like that—Dillon Danis—who doesn't fight for us, who comes to our events simply to stir the pot, to be an irritant, and to start trouble among a lot of other things, that is unacceptable," White stated emphatically. "My job is to put on the biggest, safest, most professional sporting event in the world. And when we have people coming in who are trying to turn it into a street fight every time they show up, we have to draw a line."
White’s admission of partial blame was focused on a warning he received earlier that evening. It was reported that former welterweight title challenger Jorge Masvidal had threatened to "f--- [Danis] up on sight." Knowing the bad blood Danis carried with Masvidal and, more generally, with Team Khabib, security staff asked White if they should preemptively remove Danis. White chose not to, reasoning that since Danis had a ticket, he should be allowed to sit in his seat.
“That was a mistake,” White conceded. “A clear, obvious mistake. Given his history, given the tensions, we should have escorted him out of the building the moment we knew he was acting disruptively or moving cageside. He wants to be a professional fighter, but he behaves like a delinquent. We are done with the drama. He is banned. Period."
The ban effectively prevents Danis from ever securing a UFC contract. While he may have been a marketable name due to his association with McGregor and his social media antics, the risk of promoting a fighter who consistently creates uncontrollable, arena-wide chaos is too high for a global sports brand.
The Fallout: Danis’s Future and the Cost of Chaos
For Dillon Danis, the lifetime ban serves as the most serious institutional consequence of his controversial career to date. Despite his removal from MSG, Danis maintained his stance of being the innocent party, claiming on social media shortly after his release that he was simply minding his business. This defiant denial, however, rings hollow against the backdrop of years of provocation and the multiple video angles showing him engaging physically in the melee.
While his UFC aspirations are officially dead, Danis does remain tied to the Misfits MMA promotion, where he is scheduled to defend his light-heavyweight title against Anthony Taylor later this year. The question now is whether other major combat sports entities will follow the UFC's lead. The message from Dana White is clear: promoters have no tolerance for ringside antics that endanger staff, fans, and the integrity of the event.
Danis’s career is now defined by his ability to generate headlines outside the cage, not inside it. He is a lightning rod for controversy, but that volatility has finally cost him access to the one organization he aspired to join.
A Volatile Legacy Sealed
The massive brawl at UFC 322 was a stark reminder that the ancient grudges of MMA do not fade quietly. By issuing a swift and absolute lifetime ban, Dana White has ensured that Dillon Danis's next move—whatever it is—will not be on the UFC's stage. The saga of Danis versus Team Khabib has reached its definitive, organizational end, sealed not with a cage door closing, but with the irreversible sound of a lifetime ban being delivered.
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