Bruce Buffer, the longtime voice of the UFC octagon, says he has no problem with the promotion’s decision to ban fighter Dillon Danis following a brawl at Madison Square Garden, and he’s seen plenty of chaos in his 31 years on the job to compare it to.
Buffer, who has announced UFC fights since 1996, made the comments in a recent interview with OutKick, days before the promotion returns to Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The last UFC event at that venue ended with Danis brawling with members of lightweight champion Islam Makhachev’s team in the stands, an incident that got Danis barred from the organization.
“Dylan’s banned. Dylan should be banned. It seems every time Dylan goes somewhere, he causes trouble, so there’s no reason for him to be anywhere near us. I have no problem saying that,” Buffer said.
The topic of fighters brawling outside the cage has been in the news again after an incident last week in Abu Dhabi, where former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili was attacked in a hotel lobby by MMA free agent Usman Nurmagomedov and his associates. Usman Nurmagomedov is the younger brother of Umar Nurmagomedov, a past opponent of Dvalishvili’s, and a cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Usman Nurmagomedov and his crew were sentenced to six months in prison over the attack.
Buffer said he felt for Dvalishvili, who was fined despite being the one attacked.
“I’m sorry to see that he got fined, because it wasn’t his fault. But those are the laws over there. Don’t do anything – don’t throw punches unless you’re in the ring or the Octagon,” Buffer said. “If you’re in Abu Dhabi, it’s not going to be a good outcome.”
A history of chaos
Buffer said he was present for one of the sport’s most infamous outbursts, when Khabib Nurmagomedov jumped the cage after defeating Conor McGregor.
“I was at the Khabib [Nurmagomedov] and Conor McGregor fight when Khabib jumped over the cage. That was a big deal. I’ve also seen other brawls break out. I’ve seen so many; I’ve been doing this for 31 years,” Buffer said.
He also recalled an after-party brawl following UFC 13 in 1997, when he was standing near fighter Tank Abbott.
“I remember a big brawl in the early days at an after-party. I was talking to Tank Abbott, and all of a sudden I saw Tank get hit across the face with an overhand right. It was Wallid Ismail, and all hell broke loose,” Buffer said.
Buffer said he’s developed habits for staying safe when fights spill outside the cage.
“When I’m in a brawl like that, I get my back to a wall so you only have to worry about who’s in front of you. Everybody’s going at it. Always keep your back protected and know where your exit is. Know where your six is. Just watch. But things happen.”
