Dillon Danis had to make it through intensive and bizarre negotiations to get his GFL fight with Tony Ferguson over the line.
Former Bellator star Danis is due to face Ferguson on May 11 in one of the first events under the new Global Fight League. He must first get through YouTube star KSI, who he faces on a Misfits Boxing pay-per-view on March 29, and will be forced to make a gruelling weight cut during the six-week break.
Danis is one of the most divisive figures in combat sport, and is known more for trolling than he is fighting. He has fought just once since his last Bellator bout; against Logan Paul in October 2023, but now has two bouts booked in different sports on different dates.
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Dillon Danis details negotiations over Tony Ferguson fight
The key issue that will face Dillon Danis in getting from his boxing match with KSI to his GFL clash with Tony Ferguson will be weight. He must tip the scales at 185lb to face the Brit at their March 28 weigh-in, and by the May 10 weigh-in for Ferguson will need to have got down to 165lb.
Speaking exclusively with Bloody Elbow ahead of his first face-off with KSI this evening, Danis explained: “I think that the weight is the biggest thing; I could beat Tony tomorrow to be honest and I wouldn’t even need to train.
“But the weight they’re making me get to is probably the toughest part of the fight. It’s 165lb and even the promotion were trying to get it to 170lb. Anyone who follows MMA knows he’s crazy and he was talking about some ‘Varsity vs JV’ thing.
“He was saying ‘you have to make my weight’ and kept talking about high school baseball. So he’s just off his rocker. Why wouldn’t you give me the few pounds to make it 170lb when his last fight was 170lb? It is what it is, I’ll make it but it’s the only thing that’s a little bit weird.”
Tony Ferguson turned down KSI fight to face Dillon Danis after UFC exit
Tony Ferguson revealed the date and host city for his fight with Danis during last night’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show. The bout had been confirmed prior by the promotion, but no date had been made public as they look to secure a venue and a promoters’ licence.
“I’m excited I’m pumped up I’ve got a fight coming up May 11 in LA for GFL,” Ferguson told Ariel Helwani during an impassioned speech, before noting that he was in talks for the KSI fight for which Danis has now signed up.
However, he opted against moving into the boxing ring after entering ‘deep negotiations’, with a press conference even planned. He instead chose to get a fight under the GFL banner, and will engage in a fan-friendly clash with Danis after insisting he is ‘sick of losing’.
Ferguson left the UFC on an eight-fight losing streak last year, with his most recent defeat coming to Michael Chiesa in Abu Dhabi back in August. He and Danis are two of the more intriguing names signed to the GFL, which features a host of former UFC champions.