Nov 15, 2025; New York, NY, UNITED STATES; Islam Makhachev (blue gloves) celebrates after defeating Jack Della Maddalena (not pictured) in the welterweight championship bout during UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

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Mayor Eric Adams Mobilizes NYPD After Violent UFC 322 Brawl Involving Team Khabib And Dillon Danis

Madison Square Garden has seen its share of wild moments over the decades. Boxing riots, basketball fights, and enough drama to fill a library. But UFC events at the Garden always seem to bring something extra spicy. And UFC 322 delivered another chapter for the history books, and this time it got the mayor involved.

Dillon Danis has built a career on being provocative and stirring the pot. The guy trains jiu-jitsu at an elite level but seems more interested in creating headlines than winning fights. He’s always been attached to Conor McGregor’s camp, riding that wave of notoriety. That connection brought him into the orbit of Khabib Nurmagomedov years ago, creating beef that apparently refuses to die. Now the NYPD is on it after the violent UFC 322 brawl involving these same crews, proving some grudges just don’t fade away.

The Brawl That Got City Hall’s Attention

The chaos erupted before UFC 322’s main card even started. Danis wandered into an area near Islam Makhachev’s team, which includes many fighters and cornermen from Khabib’s crew. According to reports, UFC newcomer Magomed Zaynukov, also known as Chanko and others immediately attacked Danis. The whole thing exploded fast, with fists flying and security scrambling to separate everyone involved.

Mayor Eric Adams recently posted a video of the brawl on social media with a clear message about holding everyone accountable. Adams stated the assaults at Madison Square Garden were completely unacceptable and confirmed the NYPD was conducting a full investigation. That’s a big deal when the mayor himself weighs in on a sporting event scuffle. It shows how serious the situation became and how bad it looked for the city.

“These assaults at Madison Square Garden are completely unacceptable. The NYPD is already conducting a full investigation, and everyone responsible will be held accountable.”

🚨 The Mayor of NYC says the NYPD is launching a full investigation into the brawl at #UFC322 in Madison Square Garden involving Dillon Danis and members of Islam Makhachev’s team 😳

“These assaults at Madison Square Garden are completely unacceptable. The NYPD is already… pic.twitter.com/Pnghtr74kO
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 25, 2025

Dana White immediately banned Danis from all future UFC events. He admitted he made a mistake by allowing Danis to stay when security flagged his presence before the fights started. Danis had a ticket and was moving around, sitting in fighters’ seats instead of his assigned spot. White also mentioned Jorge Masvidal wanted to attack Danis on sight but didn’t anticipate the entire Muslim brotherhood sitting in the first five rows supporting Makhachev. Once the brawl started, White knew exactly what happened and regretted not removing Danis earlier.

Danis recently returned to fighting after six years away, winning the Misfits MMA championship by submitting Warren Spencer in just 15 seconds. He’s scheduled to defend that title against Anthony Taylor in Dubai soon. Whether the NYPD investigation affects those plans remains unclear.

(Image Credit: Ed Mulholland – Imagn Images)

Dillon Danis

Islam Makhachev

Magomed Zaynukov

UFC 322 brawl

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!