Dillon Danis has his second fight set since his infamous outside-the-cage brawl with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Danis, the teammate of Conor McGregor, will meet Kegan Gennrich at Bellator 238 on Jan. 25 in Inglewood, California, Bellator president Scott Coker announced Friday on Twitter. Danis is a well-known Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout attempting to crossover into MMA, but he gained infamy for his involvement in the post-UFC 229 brawl between McGregor’s team and Nurmagomedov’s team.
After Nurmagomedov finished McGregor by submission in their fight Oct. 6, 2018 in Las Vegas, he turned toward McGregor’s corner. Danis was there, motioning for Nurmagomedov to come and fight. Nurmagomedov took out his mouthpiece and threw it at the corner, then climbed over the cage. Nurmagomedov took a running start and leapt toward Danis.
The two brawled as security and police tried to break things up. That ignited several more altercations inside the cage, where Nurmagomedov’s teammates entered and attacked McGregor. Everyone involved was suspended and fined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Danis was hit with a seven-month ban and $7,500 fine back in February. He was eligible to return in May.
Danis is 2-0 as a pro MMA fighter. The New Jersey native returned to the cage in June, beating Max Humphrey by first-round submission at Bellator 222 at Madison Square Garden. Danis, 26, is considered a high-level prospect in mixed martial arts following several Brazilian jiu-jitsu championships. Gennrich (2-1), a Wisconsin native, has won two in a row on the regional circuit, both via finish.
Bellator 238 will be headlined by a women’s featherweight title fight between champion Julia Budd and debuting legend Cris Cyborg, the former UFC champion. Also on that card, UFC veteran Sergio Pettis makes his Bellator debut.