Dillon Danis says Nick Diaz was due to be his fight after Mike Perry

Dillon Danis said Nick Diaz had been agreeing to fight him before admitting he was not supposed to discuss it. Danis faces Arman Tsarukyan in the RAF 14 main event in Las Vegas on Friday 23 October.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Fri 23 Oct, 01:03 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Dillon Danis has said Nick Diaz was lined up to fight him, letting the detail slip at RAF 14 media day while discussing talks with Diaz's brother, Nate.

The disclosure came on the eve of Danis's meeting with Arman Tsarukyan for the RAF Middleweight Crossover championship, the main event of RAF 14 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Friday 23 October. Thursday's press conference ended in a brawl after Danis revealed a shirt mocking Khamzat Chimaev, Tsarukyan's close friend and training partner. Tsarukyan charged across the stage and tried to punch Danis, and both teams and security were drawn into the melee.

Danis said: “Nick Diaz was supposed to fight — I’m not even supposed to talk about this.” He went on: “Nick was agreeing to it, but he’s a little — he’s going through some stuff. Nick was supposed to be the fight after Mike Perry.” The Perry fight collapsed at the last moment. Danis was due to face Perry in an MMA bout at Duel Arena 1 in August but withdrew about 48 hours beforehand with a severe arm laceration. Danis later released footage of the wound and the medical procedure that followed, but Perry questioned the timing and suggested the withdrawal may have been planned. Former UFC fighter Brandon Jenkins replaced Danis on one day's notice, forcing Perry up to middleweight after preparing for a welterweight bout, and Perry said the change cut his purse in half. The withdrawal also pushed the Tsarukyan match back from 3 October.

Danis also repeated his interest in fighting Nate Diaz. He said the former UFC star had been offered millions of dollars, with a clause in the proposed contract that would have paid Diaz $250,000 if Danis pulled out.

Nick Diaz, 43, was the subject of concern over his well-being after a recent video of him circulated. Danis nonetheless turned on both brothers, saying: “I could beat Nick and Nate in the same night, in the same ring. They’re both so bad. They can’t submit me. I’ll take them down over and over and over again, and I’d probably tap them multiple times.”

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Arman Tsarukyan Khamzat Chimaev Nate Diaz