A chaotic brawl broke out this morning at Madison Square Garden during a break between matches at UFC 323. The incident involved members of UFC fighter Dillon Danis’ team and those associated with Islam Makhachev. Video footage circulating on social media shows Danis engaged in a heated argument with Makhachev’s team, which quickly escalated into a physical confrontation.
Multiple members of Makhachev’s team, including UFC fighter Magomed Zaynukov, were seen attacking Danis near the octagon. At one point, Zaynukov struck Danis in the head while Danis attempted to de-escalate the situation. The scene was chaotic, as security and police struggled to contain the violence, with team members clashing in full view of the audience.
Five minutes into the altercation, Danis and several members of Makhachev’s team were escorted out of the octagon and taken backstage at Madison Square Garden. This incident marks the latest chapter in the long-standing feud between Danis and Makhachev, which dates back to an altercation following UFC 229. That incident occurred after Khabib Nurmagomedov’s victory over Conor McGregor, when Danis, as part of McGregor’s team, clashed with Nurmagomedov’s associates.
In a previous statement, Danis claimed that Makhachev had “hit him in the head seven times” during the earlier confrontation, describing the situation as “incredibly strange” and expressing confusion over how to defend himself. As of now, Danis has not publicly commented on the altercation that took place on November 16, 2025, and it remains unclear whether any legal action or arrests have occurred as a result of the brawl.
The incident highlights the ongoing tensions within the UFC community, where rivalries often boil over into physical confrontations. Fans and observers are left to speculate on the implications of this latest clash for both Danis and Makhachev as they navigate their careers in the high-stakes world of mixed martial arts.
