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Dillon Danis is one of the most controversial figures in mixed martial arts. The talented grappler entered the MMA scene off the back of his promising Brazilian jiu-jitsu career. However, his main claim to fame has been his association with the UFC's first-ever simultaneous two-division champion, Conor McGregor.
Fan interest in the former Marcelo Garcia pupil surged after his part in the infamous post-fight brawl at UFC 229. Unfortunately, the initial wave of potential that Danis rode didn't last. A crippling knee injury that he is yet to fully recover from has left him sidelined.
While attempts were made to bring him back to the Bellator cage, nothing came of them. Instead, Conor McGregor's most well-known training partner chose to face YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI in the squared circle. The date for their scheduled bout was January 14.
Unfortunately, Danis withdrew from the event, extending his near-four-year absence from combat sports. While the exact reasons behind why he pulled out of the fight are unknown, this list compiles five potential ones.
#5. Dillon Danis didn't think he'd win
Dillon Danis is a more experienced fighter than KSI. Unfortunately, his specific skill-set doesn't translate to a boxing ring. The 29-year-old is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert, which is why he was originally welcomed into Conor McGregor's camp to help the Irishman improve his grappling.
While he's an exceptional grappler, 'El Jefe' would have been completely out of his element in the boxing ring. Grappling in boxing is minimal and restricted purely to clinch sequences. Furthermore, Danis' striking is questionable based on his two MMA bouts under the Bellator banner.
He is hesitant to commit to any of his punches due to his fear of getting hit. It is apparent in how often he takes half-hearted forward steps while leaning his upper body away as he throws punches. Unfortunately, this exposes him to overhands.
Despite his bravado, Dillon Danis is almost certainly aware of his striking deficiencies. KSI is a far more polished and more powerful puncher. Without the use of his grappling, 'El Jefe' likely realized that he had no chance of winning and wasn't willing to risk his image and reputation by losing to a YouTuber.
#4. Dillon Danis struggled with weight and fitness
The chief reason behind Dillon Danis' absence from combat sports is well known. Three years ago, 'El Jefe' underwent seven hours of reconstructive surgery to repair heavily damaged ligaments in his knee. Alas, the initial surgery was not as successful as the Bellator fighter hoped it would be.
His knee rejected the new ligaments, forcing him to undergo another surgery. The injury was severe enough that he was unable to rotate his own foot. He hasn't quite recovered from his physical woes and it's almost certainly impacted his fitness and ability to train.
This is evident given how much weight Danis has gained in recent years. In the weeks leading up to his withdrawal from his boxing match, rumors emerged regarding the Bellator fighter's struggles making weight. It's likely that 'El Jefe' realized he couldn't make weight, thus prompting his withdrawal from the bout.
#3. He used the boxing match for publicity
Despite his last fight being in 2019, Dillon Danis has managed to stay relevant in the years since. Most fighters struggle to keep their names in the headlines if they spend too much time away from the ring or cage. 'El Jefe', however, is a master at staying relevant and he does so by engaging in trash talk and igniting scuffles.
Whether he's taking aim at a fighter on Twitter after they win or lose, or he's sparking confrontations with the likes of Nate Diaz and KSI, 'El Jefe' knows how to become a topic of conversation. He frequently trolls other fighters, even if they aren't from his division or promotion.
Danis likely recognized the surge in popularity that influencer-boxing has enjoyed in recent years due to the rise of the Paul brothers and KSI himself. He knows that attaching himself to any of them will get him a lot of attention. So it's possible that he never had any intention of boxing. It was simply a publicity stunt.
#2. He doesn't need the money
Many fans have wondered exactly how Dillon Danis has managed to stay afloat despite not fighting for so long. He has no other known source of income like sponsorship deals, which would have fizzled out by now due to his absence from the cage.
However, it's more than likely that 'El Jefe' doesn't need to fight. He is known to come from a very wealthy family who even funded his initial journey in the world of martial arts. If he receives financial support due to his family's generational wealth, then he possibly feels no urgency when it comes to fighting.
Once his injury woes and weight issues came to light as he prepared for his boxing debut against KSI, 'El Jefe' probably felt that it wasn't worth the effort. He wasn't in prime condition to box, nor did he need the prize money.
#1. He wants to focus on MMA
After Dillon Danis made his MMA debut, there were high hopes for him. While he started his career with Bellator, many expected him to eventually join his SBG Ireland teammate, Conor McGregor, in the UFC. But that never came to fruition.
Instead, 'El Jefe' fought twice in Bellator before an injury left him sidelined for a few years. At one point, Danis claimed that he would become a future champion. That he thought of boxing KSI instead of facing high-caliber fighters perhaps shows that he has reconsidered the trajectory of his career as a combat sports athlete.
After the boxing match with KSI was announced, Conor McGregor expressed his disappointment over his teammate's decision. He further claimed that he'd prefer 'El Jefe' to focus on MMA. Perhaps Dillon Danis listened and opted to withdraw from his boxing debut to refocus on MMA.
