Mayor Eric Adams of New York City has chosen not to impose any legal penalties following the altercation that took place at Madison Square Garden during UFC 322 earlier this month.
In a post on social media this Monday, the mayor promised to hold all individuals involved accountable for the incident that involved teammates Dillon Danis and UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
“These assaults at Madison Square Garden are completely unacceptable,” Adams stated on X. “The NYPD has already conducted a thorough investigation, and all those responsible will be held accountable.”
UFC CEO Dana White remarked that Danis has been barred from attending future UFC events due to his participation in the incident but noted that he has decided against pressing charges.
“They called me from downstairs and said, ‘We brought him here. Do you want to charge and arrest him?’ And I said, ‘No, we don’t want to press charges.’ It’s a fighting business,” White commented during a press conference after the event.
Still, it seems that Adams is determined to address the brawl, despite the UFC having moved on from the event.
The brawl unfolded on the floor of the arena as uniformed NYPD officers and event security tried to restore order amidst the chaos.
The conflict reportedly stemmed from tensions between Danis and Makhachev, as Makhachev’s team reacted to recent social media taunts from Danis. Javier Mendez, Makhachev’s coach, mentioned on Submission Radio that the situation escalated due to AI-generated videos shared by Danis, one of which depicted Makhachev kissing his agent.
Once the chaos subsided, Danis was taken to a holding area inside Madison Square Garden.
This brawl at UFC 322 isn’t the first time that law enforcement had to intervene during a UFC event in the city.
Back in 2018, Conor McGregor faced charges for three misdemeanor assaults and one felony after he attacked a bus filled with UFC fighters at the Barclays Center following the UFC 223 press conference.
McGregor ultimately pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to community service.
