Former Bellator MMA fighter Dillon Danis smacked YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI and then got chin-checked by MMA fighter Anthony “Pretty Boy” Taylor. The Conor McGregor teammate caught a reality check after he sneak-hit the global social media personality.
Danis was in Austin, Texas, for Saturday’s “DAZN X Series 0003 Misfits Boxing” event. He came face to face with YouTube star and boxer KSI. The two exchanged words, and KSI dared Danis to put his hands on him while media members surrounded them.
You a whole bitch @dillondanis
— ksi (@KSI) November 19, 2022
Suddenly, Danis took his chance and slapped the hat off KSI’s head to start a scuffle that roused the room but was quickly de-escalated by security.
“You a whole bitch @dillondanis,” KSI tweeted. “I’m the wrong guy to f**k with @dillondanis.”
As Danis and his entourage were escorted outside the hotel, he, unfortunately, found himself in another situation. MMA and boxing journeyman Anthony Taylor, a past sparring partner for Jake Paul, wasn’t feeling Danis’ shenanigans and decided to create some of his own.
I’m the wrong guy to fuck with @dillondanis
— ksi (@KSI) November 19, 2022
Taylor ran outside of the hotel and, through a crowd composed mainly of Danis’s team, landed a right-hand flush that caused the decorated jiujitsu fighter to stumble backward. Then Danis’ team got into it with another fighter and his trainer-father, Ashton Sylve and Ivan Sylve, who are signed to Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. The two had Taylor’s back when members of Danis’ team attempted to jump Taylor.
“Nothing worse than a staged run in with coffee being thrown and then you go outside and get your ass whooped by some real ones,” Jake Paul tweeted.
Eventually, Danis was guided out of the area as the tide turned against him, with people shouting at him and attempting to extend the chaos.
Dillon Danis a whole b*tch. @anthony_foreal @Ashtonsylveh2o go mf crazy 🥷🏿 pic.twitter.com/SZscHlvxY8
— Hasim Rahman Jr. (@_HasimRahmanJr) November 18, 2022
Like his famous teammate McGregor, Danis is always in the middle of a mess. At last weekend’s UFC 281 fight in New York City, Danis and a companion got into it with former UFC fighter Nate Diaz outside Madison Square Garden. While Danis and McGregor’s manager Audie Attar attempted to avoid a scuffle, a man with Danis jawed off and got slapped by Diaz.
Danis is a Brazilian jiujitsu black belt under Marcelo Garcia, part of a fruitful generation of grapplers produced by the well-respected Alliance New York academy head coach, per his bio. Danis became a BJJ fan household name after his 2014 brown belt run, through his eye-pleasing performances in tough jiujitsu tournaments, where he showcased a forward-moving style which gained recognition in the sport.
In 2016 Danis’ accomplishments led McGregor to hire his services as a grappling coach ahead of UFC 202 Nate Diaz vs. McGregor 2 event.
"He had a lot of potential": Scott Coker speaks on Dillon Danis' place with Bellator after learning of his encounters with KSI and Anthony Taylor.#Bellator288 | Full video: https://t.co/OPpelP0P6d pic.twitter.com/pfY9XFBVFT
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) November 19, 2022
Unfortunately, Danis had not competed professionally since 2019, when he submitted Max Humphrey via armbar in Bellator. He has been in a lengthy recovery from a blown-out knee.
“I don’t have an update on Dillon – I really don’t,” Bellator president Scott Coker said about Danis to MMA Junkie. “If fighters are going to fight for free, please give me a call. You’re a professional athlete, you should be fighting in the cage for money. But we’ve been having a hard time getting him in the cage.”
2023🔥 pic.twitter.com/Od1MWI0fm8
— Anthony PrettyBoy Taylor (@anthony_foreal) November 19, 2022
The melee seems to have worked out for Anthony Taylor as now he’s announced he’s fighting FLoyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. next.
