Dillon Danis’ MMA opponent Warren Spencer challenges him to prove UFC calibre with one key fight term

Dillon Danis can only show his true UFC abilities if he stands and trades tomorrow night, according to his opponent Warren Spencer.

Promoter and long-time rival KSI has already offered Danis double his purse if he can knock Spencer out, instead of using his vastly superior jiu-jitsu to take the fight to the ground. The American was once renowned as one of the world’s best black belts, but is not as well-known for his striking.

Danis hasn’t competed in an MMA bout since 2019, and has only had one boxing match since then. However, he maintains that he has held talks with UFC boss Hunter Campbell and that all he needs is activity to earn his spot in the promotion.

SERIOUS GRAPPLING: Dillon Danis submitted record-breaking 27-fight UFC veteranWarren Spencer challenges Dillon Danis to keep Misfits MMA fight standingWarren Spencer is better known for his influencer boxing pedigree, but has had one MMA fight and some other undisclosed bouts in other disciplines. However, he is a jiu-jitsu white belt and many rungs below Dillon Danis on the grappling ladder.

Having already given up considerable weight – he was under 154lb for a bout a year ago with Ben Williams and weighed in at 180lb for this bout – Spencer believes Danis can only prove he’s worth the UFC with a solid striking display.

“Who has Dillon knocked out?” Spencer asked in an exclusive chat with Bloody Elbow. “He’s cuddled every single man he’s ever met, I’m not afraid of him. I’m afraid of his cuddling skills, yeah, but I’m not going in there to cuddle.

“I’m going to make him stay on the feet because he wants to show the world. This guy wants to fight in the UFC? Let’s not forget that, even though he picked a middleweight boxer (160lb) who’s a white belt in jiu-jitsu to fight.

“So he’s a p—-. But which one of these UFC guys, look at the legends on this card Darren Till, Luke Rockhold, Tony Ferguson, became a legend by cuddling blokes? Absolutely not! They didn’t get to where they got in their careers by sticking to one skillset.

“They had to show they are a complete martial artist so Dillon has got to strike, he said he’ll knock me out, so knock me out bro. Come on.”

Dillon Danis believes UFC move is inevitable – and has plans for White House cardDillon Danis has made no secret of his efforts to get the UFC, and insist that he has held talks with the brass about a comeback. He wants to join his teammate Conor McGregor in his octagon comeback at the White House next year, and has big plans that include Islam Makhachev.

“Hunter just wants me to stay active,” Danis explained. “He was like ‘you get a couple of fights in, we got you’. He wants to see me active because it has been six years. He knows I’d run through all those guys in the top 15.

“So he said ‘if you come in and you’re 2-0 it might look bad for the company’. They were like ‘get a couple wins so when you come in and smash Kevin Holland and all these bums make sure you’re not 2-0’.

“I run through all of them and it would make the company look bad. Last time I talked to Hunter was about three months ago, maybe. I can’t remember because I get hit in the head too much. Sean Shelby and Hunter keep an eye on everything.”