The controversial world of Misfits MMA continues to generate headlines as Dillon Danis prepares to defend his newly acquired championship belt against Anthony Taylor at Misfits Mania on December 20 at Dubai’s Tennis Stadium.
Danis captured the promotion’s inaugural light heavyweight title in spectacular fashion this past August at Manchester’s AO Arena, submitting Warren Spencer with a guillotine choke in just 15 seconds. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt wasted no time taking the bout to the canvas, quickly advancing to mount position before securing the match-ending submission while spectators were still finding their seats.
The decisive victory however sparked considerable discussion about the legitimacy of the promotion’s mixed martial arts program. Sherdog, widely regarded as the authoritative database for professional MMA records, has notably refused to recognize the result in their records system.
In response to the criticism, Misfits founder Mams Taylor revealed a significant rule modification during an appearance on the Ariel Helwani Show. Future events will feature a time restriction on ground exchanges, forcing competitors to return to standing positions after a specified duration.
“I guess a lot of people will be excited about and a lot of people will hate, is that there will be a time limit on remaining on the ground. So you’re going to have to get up after a certain set time, and the referee will ensure that you stand,”
Taylor explained.
The new regulation extends even to submission attempts.
“If the timer runs out and you’re in a rear naked choke, you get stood up, it doesn’t matter,”
Taylor added, emphasizing the promotion’s commitment to maintaining continuous action for viewers.
For the 32-year-old Danis, the August victory marked his return to competition after a five-year absence. His last appearance came in 2019 when he secured his second consecutive first-round submission under the Bellator banner, bringing his professional record to 3-0. Despite limited cage experience, Danis has maintained visibility through his association with former UFC champion Conor McGregor as a training partner.
Now Danis faces a significantly more experienced challenger in Anthony Taylor. The 36-year-old “Pretty Boy” brings a 7-5 professional MMA record to the matchup, accumulated before transitioning to the influencer boxing circuit. Taylor hasn’t competed in mixed martial arts since January 2020, when he defeated Chris Avila at Bellator 238. His most recent appearance came at Misfits 20, where he suffered a knockout loss to Darren Till in a boxing contest.
The December showdown promises to test whether Danis can replicate his dominant performance against more seasoned opposition while Taylor seeks to reclaim his mixed martial arts credentials after years away from the sport. With Misfits’ controversial new ground rules in place, the bout may look considerably different from traditional MMA competition.
