Neiman Gracie: ‘Amateur' Dillon Danis has to fight more and talk less

Neiman Gracie is set to meet Dave Marfone at Bellator 180 in New York, but that wasn’t the promotion’s original plan for the June 24 event at Madison Square Garden.

Before the bout was officially announced by Bellator, Gracie tweeted that Bellator reached out to offering him a fight with MMA newcomer Dillon Danis, a jiu-jitsu ace who trains with UFC champion Conor McGregor.

Gracie agreed, but Danis turned down the offer because it was a preliminary bout, saying he would only miss the IBJJF World Championship for a spot on the pay-per-view main card.

Days away from his fourth Bellator appearance, the undefeated Gracie fired shots at Danis when asked if he’s still interested in meeting him inside the cage.

"To tell you the truth, I don’t care about him,” Gracie told MMA Fighting. "I accepted the fight and he didn’t. I think he has to fight first because we’re here talking about an amateur. He didn’t fight anyone and is talking a lot.

"He’s 0-0, he never fought anyone, so he has to fight before he talks about anyone. He needs to work, and then I’ll get this fight at any time. First, he has to stop talking and actually fight. He’s an amateur, I’m a professional."

That doesn’t mean Gracie wouldn’t accept to be Danis’ first opponent in MMA, though.

"I'll accept it, I'll accept it, but… Ah, whatever, I don’t like to talk about it,” he said. "But I’d take it, yes.”

Before competing at the IBJJF tournament, Danis took on former EliteXC and Strikeforce champion Jake Shields in a grappling contest, and lost. For Gracie, who trains with Shields in New York, Danis lacks focus.

"I train with him every day and I know how tough he is,” Gracie said of Shields. "To face a guy like Jake Shields and don’t take him seriously, I think you should stop with the talking and do more."