MICHAEL CHANDLER has finally addressed claims from his rivals that he’s a “dirty” fighter.
The former three-time Bellator lightweight champion has been accused of deliberately skirting the rules by fans and fighters.
Michael Chandler was branded a “dirty fighter” by Dustin Poirier following their November 2022 showdown[/caption]
Fans called Chandler a “cheater” after he repeatedly hit Charles Oliveira in the back of the head at UFC 309[/caption]
Chandler admits it’s “tough” to be called a cheater by fans and fighters[/caption]
Dustin Poirier branded Chandler a “dirty fighter” for fish hooking him in their Madison Square Garden melee in November 2022.
And fans labelled him a “cheater” after he landed several illegal blows on the back of Charles Oliveira’s head during their UFC 309 showdown last November.
The labels have irked 38-year-old Chandler, who told MMA Fighting: “I mean, the narrative is tough, man.
“People don’t really know me. Unless you’re in my inner circle, you don’t know who I truly am outside of [being] in front of the camera.
“People have their sneaky suspicions that I play nice in front of the camera, and I’m a bad guy behind the camera.
“You’re always going to have those accusations, right?
“But I know who I am, and I know who I am at my core; I’m a guy who tries to do things right, tries to treat people right, do things with honor and respect.
“So, the cheating narrative is a little tough for me, but also, it’s all part of the court of public opinion, man.”
Michael Chandler insists his fouls aren’t premeditated[/caption]
Chandler, who returns to the cage early on Sunday morning against Brit Paddy Pimblett, insists his well-documented fouls weren’t intentional.
“Did I grab Dustin Poirier’s mouthpiece? Yes, I did, because I thought it was his chin,” he continued. “I’ve already addressed that one. Things happen in a fight.
“Are you going to reach over and grab the cage? Are you going to get your fingers in the glove? Yeah, those things are going to happen in a fight.
“In the last fight, Charles Oliveira dug his chin so deep into my eye socket that I thought I was going to go blind, which is illegal. It’s an eye gouge, right?
“He was grabbing my gloves when he was trying to choke me. These things happen when you’re inside of the cage.
“I would never say that Charles Oliveira is a cheater. His body is reacting and doing things without his brain’s permission.
“You’re in fight or flight. Things happen, so it’s a tough narrative.”
Chandler’s antics inside the cage are at the forefront of Pimblett’s mind ahead of their Miami melee.
So much so the Liverpudlian plans to remind their match referee to be on the lookout for them in their rules meeting.
Michael Chandler returns to the octagon at UFC 314 against Paddy Pimblett[/caption]