UFC lightweight contender, Michael Chandler has responded to recent claims from former interim champion, Dustin Poirier that both him and Conor McGregor present “dangerous” matchups for Chandler – who claims Poirier has “lost his shine” in recent months.
Chandler, the current #5 ranked lightweight contender, managed to crack the division top-5 once again last month at UFC 274, landing a spectacular Knockout of the Year contender finish against former interim lightweight titleholder, Tony Ferguson, courtesy of a second round front kick.
The victory came as the Sanford MMA staple’s second in the UFC since his January 2021 landing, where he blitzed through Dan Hooker with a first round knockout on ‘Fight Island’.
Issuing a slew of call outs following his stunning knockout win against Ferguson, Chandler called for rematches against former undisputed champion, Charles Oliveira, former interim titleholder, Justin Gaethje, and in a surprising move – offered to fight Nate Diaz at the welterweight limit in July.
Linked with a potential title-eliminator against the aforenoted, Poirier, as well as a matchup with McGregor in the future – Chandler was the subject of recently analysis from the Louisianan – who claimed that both himself and the Dubliner offer him hugely dangerous stylistic matchups.
“I’m a dangerous fight for him (Michael Chandler),” Dustin Poirier said. “I think I’m a clean puncher, accurate. He called out Conor (McGregor), I think Conor is a dangerous fight for him, too. I’m not saying Chandler’s chinny or anything – but he gets hurt in a lot of his fights and guys like Conor, they can punch.”
“If you’re getting hurt by Tony Ferguson and dropped by (Charles) Oliveira, guys like me, guys like Conor, if we touch your chin, it’s gonna be bad,” Dustin Poirier continued.
Michael Chandler has since responded to Dustin Poirier’s comments
Reacting to Poirier’s claims, Chandler posted a video on his official Twitter, where he claimed Poirier had “lost his shine”.
“Hey, come here, come here, come here,” Michael Chandler said in a video captioned, ‘Step into my officer and Shhhhhh…’ “Here, step into my office. I heard what you said, and listen. Nobody gives a rip, about your wannabe, don’t make sense, lost your shine so you’re tryna steal everybody else’s shine, back-door, MMA math. Zip it.”