Dillon Danis says a set of viral photographs that sparked speculation about him online has one major problem, the man pictured does not have his tattoos.
The combat sports personality denied that he is the person shown in images circulating on social media that purport to depict him with a white substance. Speaking to TMZ Sports, Danis said anyone presenting the photographs as authentic images of him was spreading false information.
They began circulating shortly after Danis withdrew from his scheduled Aug. 29 MMA fight against Mike Perry, leading some social-media users to speculate that the two developments were connected.
Danis rejects that theory as well. He says an arm injury forced him off the card, and footage he posted after the withdrawal showed a deep laceration being cleaned and stitched by medical personnel.
Danis Says the Missing Tattoos Give the Photos Away
His argument was that he is heavily tattooed across his arms and upper body, while the man shown in the circulating images does not have the same markings.
“To be completely clear, those photos are not me,” Danis told the outlet, adding that anyone presenting them as authentic was spreading false information.
His Mike Perry Fight Fell Apart Two Days Before the Event
Danis had been scheduled to headline Duel Arena 1 against Perry at the Kia Center in Orlando on Aug. 29. The matchup collapsed approximately 48 hours before fight night, when Perry announced during the pre-fight press conference that Danis was out and Brandon Jenkins would replace him.
Danis subsequently posted graphic footage showing a deep cut on his arm being cleaned and stitched. “Shit happens in the fight game,” he wrote, adding that he was “beyond disappointed.” MMA Fighting reported that Jenkins accepted the replacement assignment on extremely short notice and flew in ahead of the event.
Perry’s Replacement Fight Ended With Another Injury
Perry remained on the card and faced Jenkins anyway, but the replacement main event produced another unexpected injury. Perry’s shoulder popped out of place during an exchange in the opening round. The fight continued briefly before Jenkins attacked the body and followed with strikes on the ground.
The official result was a first-round TKO victory for Jenkins at 2:38. Duel Arena’s event recap lists a body kick as the stoppage cause, while published footage and fight reports also document Perry’s shoulder problem.
Jenkins had accepted the bout with roughly two days’ notice after Danis withdrew, turning what had originally been promoted as a contentious Perry-Danis matchup into one of the night’s biggest upsets.
Danis Is Still Listed to Face Arman Tsarukyan in October
Real American Freestyle currently lists him opposite UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan at RAF 14 in Las Vegas. The two are scheduled to meet in a middleweight crossover championship match at Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
The event was originally announced for Oct. 3 before being moved to Oct. 23. The official RAF event listing still shows Tsarukyan vs. Danis as the featured championship matchup.