Michael Chandler acknowledges that the perception of him as a cheater in the UFC is difficult to accept, but he is confident in his own integrity.
Chandler is scheduled to compete this Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 314 in Miami against Paddy Pimblett. The former Bellator champion is aware of the cheating accusations that arose after his losses to Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden.
Leading up to this significant lightweight match, Chandler was questioned about these accusations.
“This narrative is indeed challenging,” Chandler admitted to MMA Fighting. “People who are not close to me don`t truly know me. Unless you are part of my inner circle, you only see my public persona. Some people suspect that my on-camera politeness is a facade, and that I`m a negative person off-camera. Such accusations are inevitable, I suppose.”
“However, I am aware of my true self and my core values. I strive to act correctly, treat people with respect, and conduct myself with honor. Therefore, the cheating narrative is somewhat hard for me to take, but I understand it is part of public opinion.”
Chandler`s record in the octagon is 2 wins and 4 losses across six appearances, though he has earned a bonus in five of these fights. “Iron” Chandler is seeking his first victory in almost three years when he enters the cage in 2025.
In his most recent fight, Chandler lost a five-round decision to Oliveira in a rematch last November. Despite the loss, he nearly secured a remarkable comeback win in the fifth round. Oliveira withstood a series of strikes from Chandler, some of which were considered by many to be illegal blows to the back of Oliveira`s head, although referee Keith Peterson issued no warnings.
Despite this, the cheating narrative resurfaced.
“Did I grab Dustin Poirier’s mouthpiece? Yes, I did, because I mistakenly thought it was his chin,” Chandler explained. “I have already addressed this. Things happen in the heat of a fight. Fighters may grab the cage or get fingers caught in gloves. These are common occurrences in a fight.”
“In the last fight, Charles Oliveira’s chin pressed so deeply into my eye socket that I genuinely feared blindness, which is an illegal eye gouge. He was also grabbing my gloves while attempting to choke me. These things happen in the octagon. I would never accuse Charles Oliveira of being a cheater. His body is reacting instinctively in a fight or flight situation. Things happen. So, this cheating narrative is a tough one.”
Before fight week, Pimblett was also asked if he thought Chandler bent the rules. He responded that it is the referee`s responsibility to call out any rule violations, and he also mentioned a recent statement from Poirier who said he would have bitten Chandler`s fingers if he hadn`t been wearing a mouthguard during their UFC 281 fight.
Chandler appreciated Pimblett`s lighthearted approach to the narrative, but he noted that not all lightweights have reacted the same way.
“I respect Paddy for not exaggerating this issue,” Chandler said. “In my opinion, focusing on accusing someone of cheating indicates weakness. Justin Gaethje’s reaction was particularly surprising. For a fighter as tough as Justin Gaethje to call me a cheater felt unwarranted. It seems a bit weak.”
“Regardless, things happen in the fight. Fans will not always approve of everything you do. In fact, fans are likely to disapprove most of the time, so it doesn’t really matter. I will continue to do what I believe is necessary in the fight. If the referees tell me to stop, I will stop. There are many actions within the octagon that are unintentional, and it’s the referee’s role to intervene if necessary.”
“We will see how these next fights unfold.”
