Long before Dillon Danis became known for his controversial online persona and association with Conor McGregor, he was making waves at the AMA Fight Club as a teenager who refused to follow the unwritten rules of martial arts hierarchy.
According to veteran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and longtime coach Brian McLaughlin, the young Danis displayed a rebellious streak that would both help and hinder his development as one of the sport’s most talented grapplers.
“Dillon was the teenager that was like boisterous and against the grain,” McLaughlin recalled during a recent interview on the MMA History Podcast. “He would try the techniques everyone told him not to try. He would want to, you know, you’re not supposed to ask higher belts to roll, and he’d be like, ‘Hey man, let’s roll and I’m gonna’ and like he would say something kind of like sarcastic – I bet I could get you.”
This behavior was particularly notable in the traditional martial arts environment where respect for hierarchy is paramount. Students, especially younger ones, were expected to wait for higher-ranked practitioners to invite them to roll rather than making the request themselves.
McLaughlin, who served as a mentor figure to the young Danis, saw something familiar in the teenager’s approach. “So he reminded me a little bit of a more aggressive version of myself when I was younger. So I like the kid,” he explained.
While other higher-ranking members of the team wouldn’t give Danis as much attention, McLaughlin took it upon himself to guide the ambitious youngster.
The veteran coach’s approach was both nurturing and corrective. “I used to be able to beat him up and kind of put him in his place and then say, ‘Hey man, if you’re going for that move, try this instead. Try this,'” McLaughlin noted.
The relationship between McLaughlin and Danis was built on mutual respect, despite the occasional need for the older grappler to humble his young teammate.
McLaughlin’s investment in Danis’s development went beyond regular training sessions. “I used to at AMA, you know, with competitive jiu-jitsu, I kind of tried to help him along. He and I would meet privately. I would bring in other people. And this kid got so good,” he recalled. The extra attention and personalized training sessions helped accelerate Danis’s growth as a grappler.
The teenager’s rebellious nature wasn’t limited to challenging higher belts. According to McLaughlin, Danis would also experiment with techniques that instructors advised against, showing an independent streak that would later serve him well in competition but also create friction within traditional training environments.
Despite his sometimes difficult personality, those who trained with Danis during his formative years recognized his exceptional talent and work ethic.
The rebellious teenager who once challenged higher belts at AMA Fight Club would go on to train under Marcelo Garcia, one of the greatest grapplers of all time, and eventually catch the attention of Conor McGregor, becoming part of the Irishman’s inner circle.
