Dillon Danis, after a 15-second submission win at Misfits Boxing Series 22 on August 30, 2025, at AO Arena in Manchester, England, targeted a UFC fight against middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, calling it an easy fight. In a locker room interview, Danis also challenged former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev for revenge and named Kevin Holland as a potential opponent. His victory over Warren Spencer earned him the inaugural Misfits MMA light heavyweight title.
Danis’s UFC Ambitions
Danis submitted Warren Spencer with a mounted guillotine choke just 15 seconds into their MMA bout. Post-fight, he made a strong case for the UFC.
“I will get those fights, because the UFC right now is lacking stars,” Danis said. “I’m the only one you seen this whole week sell this whole thing. I wanted to sell it more, but there were some things that went into it. The UFC wants to see me more tame. But people enjoy what I’m doing. And the fight, it’s not just the fight, it’s the whole package. It’s the storyline. It’s the build-up. And in the UFC, that’s lacking. And these guys are boring as f—k.”
He believes his charisma and grappling skills make him a unique draw.
Callouts of Chimaev and Makhachev
Danis targeted Chimaev, pointing to his tough fight against Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 in 2022.
“People don’t understand, no one’s ever fought a grappler like me. Look what happened to Khamzat when he fought [Gilbert Burns]. I’m a way better grappler than Durhino. So I think that would be an easy fight,” Danis said.
He also challenged Makhachev, citing a 2018 incident at UFC 229 where Makhachev punched him after Khabib Nurmagomedov’s win over Conor McGregor.
“Islam, there’s some revenge there, because he punched me in the back of the head after the Khabib altercation.”Danis added, “So I’ll take on anybody first, like Kevin Holland. If they want to give me a top 15, top 10, number one, I don’t care who it is, I’ll beat them up.”
Dillon Danis is calling for a UFC fight after his 15-second finish tonight 👀
“These guys are boring as f*ck.” pic.twitter.com/IqyNtcx3tO
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) August 31, 2025
Despite Danis’s persistent campaign to join the UFC, UFC CEO Dana White has expressed significant reservations, primarily due to Danis’s history of disruptive behavior. White, speaking on the Full Send Podcast in November 2023, described Danis’s antics as a “total unprofessional clown show,” emphasizing that his tendency to stir chaos outside the cage is a liability. “Every time he’s around, st’s going down,” White said. “We don’t need that st to sell fights. The athletic commission goes crazy, people start getting fined, and they come after us. It’s our job to keep that s**t under control.”
Danis’s involvement in the UFC 229 post-fight brawl, where he provoked Khabib Nurmagomedov, leading to a $7,500 fine and seven-month suspension, is a key example. His 2021 arrest outside a New Jersey nightclub after an altercation with a bouncer further tarnished his reputation.
Danis, 32, has a 3-0 MMA record. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Marcelo Garcia, he won the 2016 Pan Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship. Danis debuted in MMA at Bellator 198 in 2018, submitting Kyle Walker with a toe hold at 1:38 of round one. At Bellator 222 in 2019, he submitted Max Humphrey via armbar at 4:28. Released by Bellator in 2023 due to inactivity, he lost a boxing match to Logan Paul via disqualification in October 2023 after attempting a guillotine choke. Danis coached Conor McGregor for UFC 202 in 2016 and UFC 229 in 2018. His Misfits MMA title win marks his first MMA fight in six years.
