UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler says he suffered more than a loss on the scorecards to Justin Gaethje in their war at UFC 268.
Chandler and Gaethje threw bombs from start to finish over three rounds, with both fighters dealing significant damage. After 15 minutes of action, Gaethje earned the unanimous decision win.
Gaethje and Chandler would each earn ‘Fight of the Year’ awards for their efforts at UFC 268. Both men also received performance bonuses following the event.
But Chandler’s loss to Gaethje might’ve stung more than most realized.
“It took a while. I mean, we had a lot of soft tissue damage,” Chandler said. “Obviously, the face is always the most telling, but the face healed up pretty quick… Really just soft tissue damage. Obviously there’s no doubt I took a lot of leg kicks. So, my left leg was pretty beat up. My right foot, from the leg kicks that I landed on Justin Gaethje, my right foot/right ankle is still a little bit creaky when I wake up in the morning. But I mean, it was probably six weeks, total, to where I felt like I was able to train at 100% again.”
Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Michael Chandler Is Turning His Attention To 2022 Opponents
Chandler is still in the process of working his way back to the Octagon in 2022, including possible fights with Conor McGregor, Tony Ferguson, and Nate Diaz. Chandler and McGregor have gone back-and-forth in lighthearted banter on social media in recent months. It is the Ferguson bout, however, that is currently in the works as confirmed by UFC President Dana White.
Despite the loss to Gaethje, Chandler arguably won more than he lost following the bout. He earned the respect and name recognition of the UFC fanbase in just his third fight with the promotion following a long tenure in Bellator.
How do you think Michael Chandler’s 2022 run will look?
UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje had a significantly different take than most fans while he fought Michael Chandler at UFC 268.
In the promotion’s return to Madison Square Garden last November, a host of moments took the roof off the iconic arena and had fans across the world stuck to their TV sets.
From Chris Barnett’s spinning wheel kick, Ian Garry’s McGregor-esque debut knockout, and Alex Pereira’s memorable flying knee KO, to Rose Namajunas and Kamaru Usman’s successful title defenses, the event certainly didn’t disappoint.
But the one fight that left everybody talking was the clash of lightweight contenders between Gaethje and Chandler. Leaving everything in the cage, both men swung hard and put their bodies on the line. After 15 minutes, Gaethje walked away with the unanimous decision verdict, but both played their part in what was the consensus fight of the year bout.
Whether it was FOTY or not, everybody has and continues to recognize the incredible contest. But one man had a different version of events at the time, that man being one half of the memorable clash.
During a recent interview with BT Sport while in attendance at UFC 270 last weekend, Gaethje incredibly claimed he thought the fight was “boring” while he was inside the Octagon. “The Highlight” said he didn’t like it because the main card opener represented a rare moment where he favored securing the victory over putting “Iron” to sleep.
“To be completely honest with you, I felt like that was kind of a boring fight when I was in there,” said Gaethje. “Yeah, it just makes no sense. It’s the first time I’ve ever wanted to win more than to knock somebody out. So, yeah, it was not good, I didn’t like it. I wanna go back to just wanting to hurt somebody and finish them. But, now that I’ve won, I got my title shot, I can go back to how it should be.”
Thrilling, exhilarating, exciting, enthralling, memorable, crazy, and a host of other adjectives have been used to describe UFC’s 268’s Fight of the Night. But I guess we now have to add… boring to it? I’m okay leaving that out if you are.
How would you describe Justin Gaethje’s barnburner with Michael Chandler at UFC 268?
Michael Bisping is coming to the defense of Michael Chandler.
Michael Chandler is in a strange place inside his division. He is a big name that many fans like to see compete. However, now he is on a two-fight losing streak and his next step is uncertain. Chandler has been asking for some big names to fight next, such as Tony Ferguson, Conor McGregor, and Nate Diaz. While some people might not think these are suitable options, Michael Bisping thinks Chandler should shoot his shot.
“You know whаt I meаn when I sаy Michаel Chаndler deserves credit? Lаst yeаr, he hаd а fаntаstic yeаr; he didn’t win the belt, but he wаs involved in three incredible fight,” Bisping said on his Believe You Me podcast. “Agаinst Dаn Hooker, he got Debut of the Yeаr. He won Fight of the Yeаr аgаinst Justin Gаethje аnd then fought for the belt аgаinst Chаrles Oliveirа. In 2021, he pumped up the UFC with а lot of energy. When you mаke thаt kind of noise, live up to the hype, аnd put on those kinds of shows, f*k it. He hаs the right to cаll Nаte Diаz out.”
Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor are two of the most called-out fighters on the UFC roster. A fight with either one of them means big money with a lot of eyes watching. Chandler is now sitting in the #5 spot of the lightweight rankings and just outside being able to get another title shot.
Chandler has the idea of searching for a big-money fight while working his way back to a title shot. Bisping can’t blame him. It is not as if he is outside the top ten looking for Diaz or another money fight, which is a thing some fighters will try to make happen. He is top five.
Now, Diaz has been fighting at welterweight recently. Chandler is willing to make the jump for a shot at Diaz. If this is his plan, it might not help his chances of getting closer to a lightweight title, but it will be a great opportunity.
Bisping feels that just because Chandler has lost two now doesn’t mean he should be written off. He is still elite and has only lost to elite fighters. His last outing against Justin Gaethje shows that he can go through an all-out war and still come back for more. That is the type of fighter Nate Diaz looks to compete against, so maybe Chandler vs. Diaz could happen after all.
Would you be interested in seeing Michael Chandler fight Nate Diaz?
After a busy and entertaining 2021, UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler has revealed the type of opponent and fight he’s looking for when he returns to the Octagon this year.
It’s safe to say that not many promotional newcomers have made as big of an impact in as short a timeframe as Chandler has since arriving in the UFC. When he signed for the world’s premier MMA organization in 2020, some had low expectations, with a select few expecting his transition to the UFC to follow a similar path to the likes of Ben Askren, who failed in his pursuit of finding success in the promotion.
While he hasn’t won gold and boasts a negative UFC record, Chandler has firmly turned any doubters he had into believers.
And even though he fell to a 1-2 promotional record at UFC 268 last November, Chandler’s contribution to the year’s consensus Fight of the Year against Justin Gaethje ensured his stock rose in defeat.
This one has 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐂 written all over it 👏
With a strength of schedule about as strong as any fighter has boasted across their first three fights in the UFC, Chandler hasn’t shied away from the big names and the big fights. That’s a trend he hopes continues when he enters the Octagon for the first time in 2022.
During a recent interview with Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA, Chandler outlined his targets in the stacked lightweight division for 2022. As expected, the veteran wants a big-name opponent who will help him provide another entertaining, fun, and back and forth contest for the fans.
“It’s hard, I was talking to my manager… I think the UFC lightweight division is easily one of the toughest, of course, but also one of the most exciting. There are so many different matchups, with obviously everybody inside the top five, you’ve got Conor (McGregor) coming back from injury, you got Tony Ferguson, who is outside the top five but still a guy who is a perennial entertainer. So it’s such an entertaining division to be a part of.
“I want big fights. I want to get close to that title shot… I’ve just gotta get back in the win column. And I want a big, fun, exciting, entertaining fight. I’ve been doing this for a very long time, and obviously every fight in the UFC is huge, but (I) definitely have to be calculated and really think about what the next move is. But it’s gonna be a big name, on a big card, with big title implications, no matter what. And I’m gonna go out there and do what I do; bite down on my mouthpiece and go out there and try to get a finish.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYUBbYSgrVh/
While his next opponent is yet to be decided, there are a number of 155-pound stars Chandler could be matched up with next. The 35-year-old has made his desire to face MMA’s biggest star clear, a challenge that McGregor suggested he’d be up for down the line.
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes Dustin Poirier “ate his words” at UFC 269 after describing the vacant title fight at UFC 262 as a clash for “fool’s gold.”
At the start of 2021, the future of the lightweight division was uncertain. But after Khabib Nurmagomedov committed to his retirement by vacating the gold and Poirier pursued a third fight with Conor McGregor, the path was laid out.
While “The Diamond” and the “Notorious” Irishman faced off in a title eliminator at UFC 264, a champion was crowned two months prior at UFC 262. The main event pitched Charles Oliveira against former three-time Bellator champion Chandler.
In the aftermath of the final pay-per-view of 2021, Chandler wasted no time in criticizing the fallen challenger. In a couple of posts on Twitter, “Iron” suggested Poirier “quit” in his main event clash against Oliveira.
Discussing where his comments came from, Chandler brought up the fact Poirier had described the title as “fool’s gold” when he fought Oliveira for it last May. Given the fact the former interim titleholder then went on to lose to “Do Bronx,” Chandler believes Poirier ate his words at UFC 269.
“The reason I was critical of Dustin Poirier has been his dismissal and just downright disrespectful of me when I came into the UFC lightweight division,” claimed Chandler. “Even after Dustin made the decision that he didn’t wanna fight for the UFC title and he wanted to hold out for the money fight against Conor, when me and Oliveira were next in line and we said yes and we were gonna fight, instead of just saying, ‘Hey, I decided to fight Conor and let these guys fight for the title,’ he called the title ‘fool’s gold,’ and I think that was part of it.
“That’s what he called the title that Charles Oliveira won, and then Charles Oliveira went out there and finished him,” added Chandler. “My only regret was that I didn’t type in ‘fool’s gold’ somewhere in that statement because that was exactly what Dustin Poirier called the title that me and Charles Oliveira fought for. Dustin Poirier decided to take the money fight with Conor, which I don’t blame him (for) whatsoever, but that’s the decision you make, so don’t go ahead and discredit the guys who are fighting for the title and call the title ‘fool’s gold.’
“So the ‘fool’s gold’ champion Charles Oliveira went out there and finished Dustin Poirier, which is just a little bit ironic… I think Dustin Poirier ate his words that night.”
I would never ever quit…I went out on my shield after being separated from consciousness, congrats to Oliveira… #ufc269
In 2022, both Chandler and Poirier have their eyes on possible opponents but are yet to have one set in stone. Whilst “The Diamond” has his sights set on a welterweight clash with Nate Diaz, a prospect that also entices Chandler, “Iron” is looking at potential matchups with Conor McGregor and Tony Ferguson.
But outside of these possibilities, Chandler is also open to settling his score with Poirier inside the Octagon. Given their exciting and fan-friendly styles, the fight would undoubtedly be highly anticipated and highlight entertaining.
Would you like to see Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier share the Octagon in 2022?
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler is hoping to test his skills at welterweight, and has thrown his name into the hat to face Nate Diaz.
Since arriving in the Octagon last year, Chandler has grown into both a fan favorite and legitimate contender in the 155-pound division. In just three fights, the former three-time Bellator champion has fought for the title and been involved in a consensus Fight of the Year clash against Justin Gaethje in Madison Square Garden.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXMN_IUlLYp/
Despite now boasting a negative 1-2 record in the UFC, Chandler remains one of the top fighters at 155 pounds, and not many other stars will attract as much attention with their outings as he will in 2022. While he’s currently taking an extended break from the Octagon, he’s also not shied away from interacting with potential next opponents.
Chandler Adds New Name To His List Of Potential Opponents
During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Chandler suggested a potential matchup with Nate Diaz has been flying under the radar. Nevertheless, he believes that clash needs to happen while both men remain in the promotion.
“Nate Diaz, nobody’s ever talked about me and Nate Diaz fighting, but for some reason I’m like, ‘I feel like me and Nate Diaz should probably share the Octagon at some point.’ And obviously… I know his contract is coming to a close, he’s looking at fighting Poirier, that’s the fight he says he wants, but then he called the UFC and the UFC said, ‘Poirier sucks.’ [LAUGHS]. That tweet was genius.”
If the bout does come to fruition, Chandler has no doubts it would mark his debut at welterweight. Discussing whether that could signal a permanent move up to 170 pounds, Chandler admitted he’d like to avoid making the cut to 155 pounds unless it’s to fight for the title or to face McGregor.
“Yeah, we’ll throw Nate Diaz’s name in the hat. And I’d love to fight at 170 instead of 155, I’ll tell you that much. Definitely when I fight Diaz, it’s gonna be at 170, for sure. I’ve been competing in the 150s since I was a senior in high school… That 150-something is not very fun. Health-wise, it’s one of the things that makes it hard in this sport.
“When I got done with this last fight, I said I don’t want to make 155 unless it was Conor or for the title. Obviously I lost that fight, I’m not fighting for the title next, and Conor could be a long shot at this point… We’ll see what happens, I definitely don’t wanna make 155 but I’m a man of my word and I signed a contract at 155 pounds.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWlVrnzpEAr/
It’s clear that Michael Chandler has a lot of options and a lot of ambitions in the UFC. And while he’s taking the necessary time to recover form his last fight, we can expect to see “Iron” back in a big fight, on a big card, and with big implications later this year.
Would you like to see Michael Chandler face Nate Diaz at welterweight?
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler still thinks a matchup with Dustin Poirier makes a lot of sense if Poirier stays at 155 pounds.
Chandler still has UFC title ambitions despite back-to-back losses to Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje. He remains a big name in the lightweight division and could be back in the title shot conversation if he can get on a winning streak.
Poirier also lost to Oliveira at UFC 269, and both men are in somewhat of an uncertain position in the 155-pound division. Poirier has also alluded to a move to welterweight for the remainder of his career after losing his second title shot to Oliveira.
Meanwhile, Chandler has hinted at a possible matchup with Conor McGregor in 2022, although it’s unclear if the UFC will go through with it.
“That’s what I wanted to do when I came into the UFC,” Chandler said. “I wanted to fight all the top guys. Poirier was actually one of the guys that we asked for, and he declined at the very beginning, which I have no problem with that. He was at the top of the division and I was the guy from outside the UFC coming in.
“So he’s always been a name on the list. He’s a guy that I respect. A guy that I admire inside the sport of mixed martial arts. A guy who I would love to compete against.”
Chandler has recently taken back comments in which he referred to Poirier as a “quitter” following his UFC 269 defeat. After getting off to a good start against Oliveira, Poirier was submitted with a standing rear-naked choke in Round 3.
Chandler and Poirier are still fighting for championships, and a matchup between them would certainly make sense at lightweight. However, Poirier’s reluctance to commit to a future at 155 pounds may take the matchup out of the conversation.
Who do you want to see Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier fight next?
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler still has championship ambitions, but he’s got his eyes on a teammate who may beat him to it.
Chandler fell short in a Fight of the Year contender against Justin Gaethje at UFC 268. Despite the defeat, Chandler earned plenty of respect and support from the UFC fanbase and is a big name in the lightweight division. He also had to apologize to his wife afterward for the sheer brutality of the contest.
Chandler trains down at Sanford MMA alongside some of the top UFC talents, including Gilbert Burns and, formerly, Kamaru Usman. But one particular teammate of his, Ian Garry, has impressed him since joining the gym last year.
“We had a couple of conversations and then I was like, okay, obviously the talent is there, you know?” Chandler said. “His body type, his confidence in himself, the part of the world that he comes from – he’s a young, brash Irishman who does not lack confidence in any area of his life. And that’s something I’m attracted to as well. Even as a 35-year-old – a guy who has been in the game for a decade longer than he has – I still try to remember myself as that young, hungry, nothing-to-lose kind of guy.
Ian Garry
“And I think my fight style shows it, my attention to detail shows it because I want to live a champion lifestyle. And it’s just awesome to see these guys come in and even Ian himself, I think his game is on a trajectory to the moon. I think he will be world champion in the next couple of years.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Before signing with the UFC, Garry made waves by earning the then-vacant Cage Warriors welterweight title over Jack Grant at CW 125. Coincidentally, this is the same promotion where his fellow countryman, Conor McGregor, began his rise to stardom.
Garry made a nod to McGregor during his post-fight interview at UFC 268, alluding to his “We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over” quote.
Chandler and Garry are in different weight classes but could benefit from one another in training. Both men could be in the title conversation by the end of 2022.
McGregor is currently expected to return this year following leg surgery, but that may not be until sometime in the summer. That leaves Chandler with a wide potential gap between opponents, with his most recent fight being the November classic against Justin Gaethje at UFC 268.
However, according to Tony Ferguson, Chandler has already agreed to fight against him. So when Chandler once again began lobbying on social media for a fight against McGregor in McGregor’s return, Ferguson decided to interject.
There’s My Bitch!!! @MikeChandlerMMA The Brass @danawhite@ufc Relayed Your Message Saying You Would Be Ready For Me April/June. Looks Like Your Trying To Delay That Ass-Whoopin’ I Owe Ya For Cutting In Line Kid- It’s Wrestling Season MF, Man Up- Champ pic.twitter.com/Er26dEMDx6
“There’s My Bitch!!! @MikeChandlerMMA The Brass @danawhite@ufc Relayed Your Message Saying You Would Be Ready For Me April/June. Looks Like Your Trying To Delay That Ass-Whoopin’ I Owe Ya For Cutting In Line Kid- It’s Wrestling Season MF, Man Up- Champ,” Ferguson wrote.
Chandler would then issue the following response soon after.
Oh Tony. There’s only a handful of guys in this game I truly respect…you’re one of them. Only because of your tenure, not your stature or your current presence in the division. I’ll beat you from bell to bell. Pray for a merciful ref. We shall see if this fight happens.
“Oh Tony. There’s only a handful of guys in this game I truly respect…you’re one of them. Only because of your tenure, not your stature or your current presence in the division. I’ll beat you from bell to bell. Pray for a merciful ref. We shall see if this fight happens.”
Why Ferguson vs. Chandler Next Makes Sense
Tony Ferguson, Michael Chandler
Last month, Ferguson claimed that he had received the El Cucuy signal, thus hinting that his next opponent had been determined. Now, it looks as though Ferguson may have been referring to Michael Chandler.
This bout would come with a backstory, as it was Ferguson who famously coined the phrase “Dana White Privilege” in reference to Chandler “skipping the line” to a title shot due to being in White’s good graces. Chandler would go on to lose that title fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 262.
Both fighters are currently on skids, with Chandler dropping two straight and Ferguson losing three in a row. Between that fact and their placement in the lightweight rankings being only two spots apart, there is certainly some logic behind the potential fight.
MMA News will keep you updated on if there is any legitimacy to this fight pairing and, if so, when and where it will take place.
Would you be interested in seeing Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson in 2022?
UFC President Dana White thinks “Fight of the Year” isn’t up for debate this year.
White recently revealed that his favorite fight from 2021 was the back-and-forth brawl between Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje from UFC 268. The stand-up lightweight battle took a Madison Square Garden crowd by storm earlier this year. The bout saw the ranked fighters willfully trade wailing punches on one another for three rounds.
Gaethje walked away with the win against Chandler, earning a unanimous scorecard nod in the end. The fan-friendly fight was a big victory for Gaethje, potentially placing himself as the next contender for UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira to face.
UFC President White didn’t hesitate to call the fight the best that has taken place this year.
“That’s a no brainer. Off the top of my head right here asking me that question, it would have to be Gaethje/Chandler,” said White in an interview with Barstool Sports. “It was insane. The fact that it was at MSG, the fans were absolutely f*cking insane, and just everything with that fight.”
Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler, Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
White later reflected on how the fight was so impactful to the live New York crowd that it tired out the live crowd. This caused the follow-up act, a fast-paced fight between featherweights Shane Burgos and Billy Quarantillo, to not elicit much of a reaction from the audience.
The bout was another example of Gaethje’s tough striking style that often sees him consume damage en route to breaking the will of his opponent. Gaethje was ending an absence from the cage with the fight. He was appearing for the first time since he lost a title fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254.
Michael Chandler thinks Charles Oliveira’s 2021 run of two title fight wins secured him Fighter of the Year status.
Chandler recently joined The Fighter vs. The Writershow to discuss his personal fighter of the year. He gave the award to UFC Lightweight Champion Oliveira, claiming his two high-profile wins in the division in 2021.
Chandler sees those victories as what puts him ahead of the pack for this year.
Oliveira became a UFC champion in May, stopping Chandler in the second round to claim a vacant belt. He returned seven months later to beat Dustin Poirier, stopping him in the second round with a rear-naked choke.
“Watching what Charles Oliveira has done this year, claiming gold and then defending it against one of the best to ever do it, one of the greatest lightweights of all time [who] will inevitably be a UFC Hall of Famer, Dustin Poirier. So hat’s off to him, he would be my pick for fighter of the year,” said Chandler.
Chandler: Oliveira Takes Award Over Welterweight Champ Usman
Getty Images
When asked about runners-up for this year’s fighter of the year award, Chandler compared Oliveira to dominant UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman. While Usman had a highly successful year with three wins, Chandler thought the “unexpected” factor of Oliveira’s success is what earned him the award in the end.
“Unfortunately, it’s almost as if we expected Kamaru [Usman] to be that dominant … When it comes to exceeding expectations and that feeling you get when you say ‘man what that guy did, that makes him fighter of the year,’ that for me is Charles Oliveira because I feel it was unexpected,” said Chandler. “Would we ever have thought Charles Oliveira would be the champion a year [or] a year-and-a-half ago?”
Who is your 2021 Fighter of the Year? Do you agree with what Michael Chandler said?
Despite admitting he was perhaps too harsh with his assessment of Dustin Poirier’s decision to tap at UFC 269, Michael Chandler has claimed that “The Diamond” has been dismissive of him “since day one.”
Like Chandler earlier this year, Poirier failed to dethrone UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 on December 11. The Louisianan, who entered his second shot at undisputed gold off the back of consecutive victories over Conor McGregor, was tipped by many to enter 2022 as the 155-pound titleholder.
But in his way of doing so was an underdog who loves to upset the odds and show his championship mettle. After recovering from an early knockdown in the year’s final pay-per-view main event, Oliveira imposed his will on the ground in the second frame before forcing a tap in the third with a standing rear-naked choke.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXyt0VsRCO/
In the aftermath of the incredible result, Oliveira’s former foe gave his take on the action, and he showed no sympathy for the losing party.
Taking to Twitter, Chandler suggested Poirier had “quit” by tapping out. The former Bellator champion, who has made his desire to face McGregor in 2022 known, also questioned why the Irishman would consider another fight with “The Diamond” after seeing him “quit” at UFC 269.
“I think the hardest part with chokes is there are so many chokes out there, rear-naked chokes, or any choke that has been put on somebody, where you think you’re never gonna get out of it. That’s why we love this sport, too. People say, ‘He’s done, he’s done, he’s done,’ and you can’t believe when they get out of it. You hear it with Joe Rogan cageside, Jon Anik, DC, cageside, and they go bananas when guys get out of it because you never quite know how deep a choke is. I think there’s always a little more fight left before a tap can happen.”
Chandler Admits He Was “Too Harsh”
Chandler later acknowledged that he’d perhaps gone a little overboard with his ‘quitter’ branding. However, he also revealed an underlying bitterness between the pair, suggesting Poirier has been equally dismissive of him from the very start.
“Yeah. I will admit, maybe I was a little bit too harsh, maybe the word ‘quit’ was not the right word to use. But I also think Dustin Poirier has dismissed me since day one. I don’t think Dustin Poirier’s a bad guy. I don’t think he thinks I’m a bad guy. But as a competitor, he called me and Charles fighting ‘fool’s gold.’ He dismissed me, saying he wouldn’t fight me in the UFC, even after I knocked out Dan Hooker. So he was just a little more dismissive of me.
(via Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
“I think he and I, I don’t think he’s a bad guy, I think he’s actually a great guy, I think he’s a phenomenal ambassador of the sport, but he and I, when it comes to the competition aspect of us both being fighters inside the same division, I think we both have a little bit of a bone to pick with each other.”
While he made a slight backtrack on the terminology, the point remains the same for Chandler. Citing his own ability to avoid falling into a choke with Oliveira on his back and reverse position at UFC 262, “Iron” hinted that the former interim titleholder could have done more.
“I also got my back taken by Charles Oliveira, he almost had that choke locked up, and I was able to fight out of it. So, I’ve been in that position, I was able to get out of it, so yeah. I will admit, I will concede that maybe using the word ‘quit’ was a little bit harsh, especially against one of the good guys, because people are probably gonna be like, ‘How are you gonna come for Dustin Poirier, man?’”
Having fallen to a unanimous decision in a Fight of the Year contender against Justin Gaethje last month, the veteran will be after another big name next, perhaps either Poirier or the returning McGregor.
Do you think Dustin Poirier could have fought Charles Oliveira’s rear-naked choke more?
Michael Chandler doesn’t see why Conor McGregor would fight Dustin Poirier again after UFC 269.
After Chandler suffered a hard-fought decision loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 268, he called out Conor McGregor. It certainly would be a very entertaining fight and a scrap that does make some sense. Yet, the Irishman made it clear he wanted a title shot when he returned, but after Poirier lost to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 for the belt, many thought McGregor-Poirier 4 might happen next.
However, for Chandler, he doesn’t think McGregor would fight a quitter in Poirier next time out.
I would never ever quit…I went out on my shield after being separated from consciousness, congrats to Oliveira… #ufc269
“I would never ever quit… I went out on my shield after being separated from consciousness congrats to Oliveira,” Chandler wrote.
The way I see it…the whole world wants to see me rematch 2 out of the 3 fights I’ve had in the @UFC … that’s how you come in and make a statement. I’d never QUIT. Congrats to Oliveira …punch your ticket with Gaethje this summer and I’ll see you at the end of 2022 #UFC269
“The way I see it…the whole world wants to see me rematch 2 out of the 3 fights I’ve had in the @ufc … that’s how you come in and make a statement. I’d never QUIT. Congrats to Oliveira… punch your ticket with Gaethje this summer and I’ll see you at the end of 2022.”
I make ill-advised decisions at times. But I’m there to put y’all on the edge of your seat so you miss me when I’m gone. I promise you will. Most of these guys are here to “play mma.” #UFC269
“I make ill-advised decisions at times,” Chandler wrote. “But I’m there to put y’all on the edge of your seat so you miss me when I’m gone. I promise you will. Most of these guys are here to “play MMA.”
Although Michael Chandler knows he isn’t getting a title shot, he still is campaigning for the fight against Conor McGregor. He went on to explain why he deserves the crack at the Irishman more than Poirier does.
Why would the biggest name in the sport come back and fight a guy who QUIT over a guy who is the second most electrifying guy in the division? #analystfail#UFC269
“Why would the biggest name in the sport come back and fight a guy who QUIT over a guy who is the second most electrifying guy in the division?,” Chandler added.
There is no question Chandler wants the McGregor fight, but so does the rest of the lightweight division. It most likely will come down to who the Irishman wants to fight, but a McGregor-Chandler fight would be massive if it happened.
Would you like to see Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor?
Gaethje and Chandler went hard and took just as much damage as they gave. Both men were transported to the hospital following the fight. Now a month removed, Chandler is reflecting back on the war.
“I don’t want to fight that way ever again, but 95% of the fight was just a good ol’ fashioned passionate scrap, you know?” Chandler explained on the Bussin’ With The Boys Youtube channel. “5% of it was a little bit of, ‘Dude, what are you doing, man?’ Of course, I’ve gotten criticism like, ‘Hey, if you would have been a little more tactical and not try to put on a show, you would have won the fight.”
“But truthfully, I’m not just saying this. This sounds like something a loser of a fight would say,” Chandler said. “But it’s very genuine when I say it was the first time in my career Mike Beltran, the referee, grabbed my wrist, and it was that moment when I was about to get my hand raised or keep it down while my opponent got his hand raised or kept it down. And at that moment, when he grabbed my wrist, I was like, ‘Oh, shoot. There’s gonna be a winner and a loser right now.’ First time in my life.’”
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler thinks he’s a force to be reckoned with in the division after his recent performances.
Chandler is coming off of his Fight of the Year contender against Justin Gaethje at UFC 268. While Chandler lost the bout by a unanimous decision, he had Gaethje in trouble on multiple occasions during the fight and put on a show for the fans.
Despite the loss, Chandler remains in the thick of things in the lightweight division. He’s also arguably gained the respect of the UFC fanbase for his performances against the likes of Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, and Dan Hooker since signing with the promotion.
During a recent interview on the Bussin With The Boys podcast, Chandler explains why he feels other top contenders don’t want to step up and fight him.
“I know there’s a lot of guys one foot in, one foot out of the violence of the sport. I’m all in,” Chandler said. “I love it, which is not a good thing necessarily. I think it’s a scary thing. I think there’s a lot of guys at the 155 division that doesn’t want to fight me because of that. I think every single fan on the mixed martial arts planet wants to watch me fight now, so you weigh both sides of it.”
Michael Chandler Has Called For A Conor McGregor Fight
While Chandler thinks many lightweights won’t want him, Conor McGregor is a potential fit for his next matchup in the Octagon. The two have cordially gone back and forth in the media for a possible fight between them in the future.
McGregor continues to recover from a nasty leg injury he suffered at UFC 264 earlier this year and is planning a return for some time in mid-2022.
Chandler is coming off of back-to-back losses but has proven himself in many eyes with his performances. He’s anticipating a return for some time early next year.
Who would you like to see Michael Chandler fight next in the Octagon?
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes he’ll be able to match former two-division champion Conor McGregor on the microphone if the pair collide in 2022.
Despite only stepping into the Octagon for the first time in January this year, Chandler, a former three-time Bellator titleholder, has already faced three top names, come inches away from capturing gold, and thrilled a sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd with a Fight of the Year contender.
In his attempt to jump back into contention, Chandler’s stock continued to rise, despite falling to a defeat on the scorecards. Across three rounds against former interim champ Justin Gaethje, the 35-year-old threw everything he had and ate everything “The Highlight” served up in return.
Looking to continue his trend of big-name fights, Chandler was quick to callout McGregor last month, who is currently recovering from the broken leg he suffered at UFC 264. In a respectful response, the Irishman praised Chandler’s performance, and expressed his desire to share the Octagon with the #5-ranked contender.
While speaking to Daniel Cormier on a recent episode of DC & RC, Chandler admitted that whilst his ultimate goal remains reaching the 155-pound mountaintop, opportunities like a clash with McGregor is why he got into the sport of MMA.
“For me, obviously, as an athlete, the number one goal (is) I wanna be the UFC champion, I wanna be the number one guy in the world. But as fighters, we get into the sport because we want big stages (and) big opportunities against big opponents in big arenas, and it doesn’t get any bigger than Conor McGregor.”
Despite carrying himself in a more respectful way ahead of his own fights, Chandler is more than ready to challenge McGregor on the mic. “Iron” told Cormier that if the bout gets booked, he’ll be prepared to use his “linguistic jiu-jitsu” to combat the Irishman’s attacks.
“To me, (the respect’s) genuine. That’s how I like to do things, I’m not a big trash-talk guy, I’m not gonna attack the guy on social media… I guess if the fight happens, I guess we’ll see (what happens if McGregor trash talks). You might see a different side of me… I think I’m pretty good at using my vocabulary and my linguistic jiu-jitsu to wrap guys up in some words that they may not understand without having to really take to base-level assaults or talking about different things that are gonna be, you know, damaging to a guy’s reputation.
“We’ll see man. I respect Conor for what he’s done, I respect Conor as a fighter, and I even respect his trash-talk game… It is something that I’m looking forward to… If it does (happen), it’s definitely gonna be fireworks inside the Octagon, and I guarantee I can carry my weight outside the Octagon on the microphone.”
(via John Locher/AP)
McGregor’s trash talk was certainly on display before and after his latest appearance. After a mostly respectful rematch with Poirier in January, the Dublin native went back to his old ways ahead of their trilogy, attacking “The Diamond” and his family.
With his recent comments on Chandler, it seems unlikely McGregor would go to the same level against the former title challenger. But given Chandler’s confidence, perhaps the 33-year-old will be tempted to test his skills on the mic.
Would you like to see Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler square off in 2022?
