Dillon Danis claims Islam Makhachev should be thanking him for what happened after UFC 229: "I refused to press charges"
Dillon Danis believes Islam Makhachev should thank him for being allowed to fight in North America.
In October 2018, one of the most iconic nights in mixed martial arts history went down, as Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov headlined UFC 229. Following the intense battle, Nurmagomedov jumped over the octagon fence and attacked McGregor's jiu-jitsu coach, Danis, leading to an all-out brawl.
At the time, Makhachev, the UFC's number one pound-for-pound fighter, was in Nurmagomedov's corner and relatively unknown.
On Thursday, Danis referenced the unforgettable altercation at UFC 229 on X by claiming that he could've ruined the reigning UFC lightweight champion's MMA career by pressing charges:
"Islam Makhachev should be thanking me. When the cops came to me at UFC 229, I refused to press charges. If I had, he would have a felony and not be allowed to fight in the States."
The aftermath of UFC 229 featured Conor McGregor being fined $50,000, while Khabib Nurmagomedov was forced to pay $500,000. Both fighters received a multi-month suspension and never faced each other again before Nurmagomedov officially retired in October 2020.
The polar opposite fighting careers of Dillon Danis and Islam Makhachev since UFC 229
Heading into UFC 229, Islam Makhachev and Dillon Danis were seen as intriguing MMA prospects. Makhachev held a four-fight win streak in the UFC at the time, while Danis was coming off an impressive professional debut under the Bellator banner where he won by a first-round toe hold.
Since then, the fighters have gone in different directions, as Makhachev is building his legacy as the current pound-for-pound king in the UFC. Meanwhile, Danis hasn't fought in MMA since June 2019 and seems to prioritize controversial antics on social media.
In October 2023, Danis did return to combat sports action for an exhibition boxing match against Logan Paul. 'El Jefe' found minimal success in the highly-anticipated matchup before getting disqualified for his attempt to put Paul into a guillotine choke.
As for Makhachev, he will defend his lightweight title on Saturday night during the UFC 302 main event. The Russian powerhouse's latest challenge is against the legendary Dustin Poirier, who earned the opportunity by knocking out Benoit Saint Denis on March 9 of this year.