Apr 28, 2018; Rosemont, IL, USA; Dillon Danis (red gloves) fights Kyle Walker (blue gloves) during Bellator 198 at Allstate Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dave Mandel-USA TODAY Sports

mma

Years After McGregor-Khabib Chaos, Dillon Danis Calls Out Fighter For Cheap Shots; Demands Revenge Fight!

Apr 28, 2018; Rosemont, IL, USA; Dillon Danis (red gloves) fights Kyle Walker (blue gloves) during Bellator 198 at Allstate Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dave Mandel-USA TODAY Sports

October 6, 2018, will forever remain one of the wildest nights in UFC history. What started as a heated grudge match between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 turned into absolute mayhem after the final bell. Nurmagomedov had just submitted his arch rival. He then jumped the cage to attack Dillon Danis, who was in McGregor’s corner that night. All hell broke loose as teammates from both sides started throwing punches everywhere. The Nevada State Athletic Commission handed out suspensions left and right. Nurmagomedov got nine months while McGregor received six months for their roles in the brawl.

But here’s what many fans forgot about that crazy night. Islam Makhachev, Khabib’s training partner and close friend, allegedly threw cheap shots at Danis during the chaos. Security footage showed multiple people jumping into the fray, but Danis claims Makhachev specifically targeted him with punches to the back of his head. Fast forward to 2025, and Danis just scored a lightning fast submission win over Warren Spencer at Misfits 22. Now he’s ready to settle old scores and wants his revenge against the former UFC lightweight champion.

Dillon Danis Wants Revenge On Islam Makhachev

Dillon Danis doesn’t hold back when it comes to calling out his enemies. After choking out Warren Spencer in just 15 seconds at Misfits 22, the controversial fighter made it crystal clear who he wants next in an interview with TMZ Sports.

“Finish the storyline. Me and Islam would be finishing the storyline. You know, get my revenge that I always said I would get after that night that he punched me in the back of the head at least six times…I said I’ll get my revenge one day. So that would be the way to finish the storyline. Me and Islam for the belt… I definitely want my revenge for what he did to me.”

.@DillonDanis knows exactly how he'd want to kick off his UFC run:

"Me and Islam for the belt, get to finish that storyline. He punched me in the head five times when I was being held. I get my revenge on him and finish the storyline."

(🎥 @joseyoungs) pic.twitter.com/7eUf4v55NE
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) August 29, 2025

Danis claims that Makhachev punched him in the back of the head at least six times during the UFC 229 brawl. Whether that is exaggerated or not is unknown. But according to the footage, at least one punch from Makhachev hit him in the side of his head. Makhachev recently moved up to welterweight, where he will challenge Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322. The Dagestani fighter has looked unstoppable since taking over from his mentor Khabib. But Danis brings his own set of dangerous skills to the table. The New Jersey native is a legitimate Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who has trained with some of the best grapplers in the world.

Now the question remains: Will fans ever get to see this fight in a sanctioned promotion? Probably not. Dana White was asked about signing Danis to the UFC. He responded that people like Danis are a walking liability and he wants to keep the sport professional and avoid people having a negative perception of the UFC. Moreover, the skill level between these two fighters is honestly very massive.

(Image Credit: David Mandel – Imagn Images)

Conor McGregor

Dillon Danis

Islam Makhachev

Khabib Nurmagomedov

UFC 229

Zaid Quraishi

mma

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!