The energy inside Madison Square Garden shifted sharply during UFC 322 when an explosive altercation erupted in the audience.
Dillon Danis found himself at the center of the disturbance, and by the end of the night, police and arena security had physically removed him from the venue. Dana White later stated that Danis would not be welcomed back to any future UFC card.
White did not sugarcoat his stance during the post event press conference.
“You will never see Dillon Danis at a UFC fight ever again,” he said. “That incident and a lot of other reasons are why we would never sign him. You will never see him at another fight.”
How the confrontation unfolded
What began as routine fan movement around the seating areas escalated when Danis clashed with members of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s group. Among the individuals seen exchanging blows was Abubakar Nurmagomedov, who has a long history of animosity toward Danis. Their rivalry traces back to the infamous moment in 2018 when Khabib leaped out of the cage after defeating Conor McGregor and went straight for Danis at cageside.
This time, the confrontation spiraled until security intervened. Officers quickly escorted Danis downstairs, where he was held and questioned before being removed from the arena.
Every shot landed on Dillon Danis was at the back of the head as he was being held back by security guards
Dana White blaming everything on Dilon shows how much of a pyssy the UFC president has become pic.twitter.com/0nFAk0Rw9j
— The Uncivilised One (@Sea2Sea1Way) November 16, 2025
White says he is at fault
White admitted that he should have acted immediately when staff first alerted him that Danis was moving around the venue and sitting where he was not assigned. According to White, he was informed that Jorge Masvidal had threatened to attack Danis if they crossed paths.
White explained the choices he made in that moment.
“I blame myself for that actually,” he said. “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 and sitting in fighters seats and not sitting in his own seat that he had a ticket. They said, ‘Do you want us to throw him out of here?’ I said, ‘He has a ticket?’ They said, ‘Yeah.’ They told me ‘Jorge Masvidal said he’s going to f*ck him up on sight.’ I said, ‘Where’s Masvidal sitting?‘ Well he’s six or seven rows away from Masvidal. I said if the guy has a ticket, let him sit in his seat and let him do what he’s doing and keep an eye on him.”
White added that he forgot how many fighters and team members from the Muslim community were seated near the front rows for Islam Makhachev, which created a volatile environment once tensions rose.
“It never even crossed my mind as stupid as this could be that the entire Muslim brotherhood was here tonight in the first five rows for Islam Makhachev,” White said. “As soon as it broke out, I was over on the other side and I go ‘F*ck, I know exactly what that is.’ I knew it.”
Makhachev reacts
Islam Makhachev did not show sympathy for Danis after the incident.
He said, “He talked about these guys bad and today the guys just meet him that’s it. He should be banned from this country also.”
Reporter: “Dana White said Dillon Danis is banned from UFC events for life.”
Islam Makhachev: “He has to be banned from this country also.”
💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/Frkg6ksCa2
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) November 16, 2025
White noted that the UFC chose not to press charges.
He recalled receiving a phone call after Danis was detained.
“They called me from downstairs and they said, ‘We have got him down here, do you want to press charges and have him arrested?’ I said no, we do not want to press charges. This is the fight business. You know how I feel about this shit. I could have prevented this tonight and I messed up.”
He also clarified that he did not know whether the police or the arena would choose to take further action.
“Not that I’m aware of, no one was charged. We are not pressing charges. I am not speaking for MSG or anybody else that was involved in this thing. But we, the UFC, are not pressing charges against anybody.”
Online public records show no booking for Danis in New York at this time.
Dana White says Dillon Danis is BANNED from ever attending any UFC event 😭
“The entire Muslim Brotherhood was here tonight in the first five rows for Islam… you will NEVER see Dillon Danis at a UFC fight ever again.” #UFC322 pic.twitter.com/WLmoKAZoaB
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 16, 2025
Danis recently returned to mixed martial arts through the Misfits promotion after more than half a decade away. His comeback lasted only fifteen seconds, ending with a quick submission win over Warren Spencer to earn the Misfits light heavyweight title. He immediately exchanged words with Eddie Hall, agreeing to fight if Hall could cut down to three hundred pounds.
His next appearance is already scheduled. Danis is set to defend his title against Anthony Taylor, a rival he previously fought with publicly. Their meeting will take place on December twenty in the event headlined by Andrew Tate and Chase DeMoor.
With White’s ban in place, those outside ventures may be the only places fans see Danis compete.
