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‘Rent free’ – Michael Chandler responds to Dustin Poirier ‘cheater’ accusation ahead of next UFC fight
Michael Chandler believes he is living ‘rent free’ in Dustin Poirier’s head following cheating accusations from his UFC rival. Poirier sparked a major reaction from the MMA world last month when he called Chandler ‘fake’ and a ‘cheater’ in a scathing attack on his character. Poirier and Chandler attempted to settle their differences in the Octagon in 2022Getty When Poirier claimed a third-round submission winGetty ‘The Diamond’ said his ongoing dislike for Chandler stems from when the latter debuted with the UFC in 2021. Poirier claimed his fellow American had gone from friend to trash talker when Chandler made the switch from Bellator to the UFC. Both men then collided at UFC 281 in November 2022, with Poirier submitting Chandler in the third round after an epic battle. “I don’t lose a wink of sleep thinking about Dustin Poirier and how he thinks about me,” Chandler told Zach Gelb. “Unfortunately, obviously I live rent free in his head and he does lose sleep over me. So I don’t think about it. When you ask, ‘What do you think about it?’ I don’t. “It’s no big deal. We’ll keep on moving on, not everybody’s going to like you and that’s just fine by me.” Chandler is gearing up for his next UFC fight against Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett next month in Miami. The pair will lock horns in the co-main event of UFC 313 on April 12, with Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes fighting for the vacated featherweight title in the headline act. Poirier, meanwhile, has announced that his next fight will be his last, having suffered a submission defeat at UFC 302 to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in his previous appearance. Chandler admitted that once he is finished with fan-favourite Pimblett, he would be more than happy to give Poirier his UFC send off. The Americans collided at UFC 281 in New York CityGetty Chandler is currently in camp preparing for a fight with Pimblett on April 12getty Poirier is gearing up for his final UFC fightGetty “I would definitely welcome me being Dustin’s retirement fight,” he added. “I mean, he’s a legend. And I say that because he’s a legend, it’s not like I want to get back the loss or it’s not because I have any sort of animosity. “I don’t want to fight him because of the disagreements that we’ve had. I just want to fight him because he’s a legend, but we’ll see. “I’ll heal up after April once I starch Paddy Pimblett, and he’s talking about fighting in July or August, I wouldn’t mind going to New Orleans at that time of the year. “Either way I’m coming to the fight. I’m gonna be there for his retirement fight out of respect, but I wouldn’t mind stepping into the octagon with him.” Chandler has mixed it up with some of the best lightweights in the world, and had Poirier stumbling at the beginning of their fight in 2022. Poirier’s fight with Chandler was a 12-minute warGetty Poirier recovered well and dropped Chandler later in the round as the New York crowd were treated to an all-out war. Chandler’s nose was a leaky mess in the second round as he pressed Poirier, slammed him to the canvas and the bloody brawl ticked on. Chandler had Poirier’s back for most of the second five minutes, but the latter was patient and UFC fans were awarded another round. Then, in the third and final round, ‘The Diamond’ found his own success on the floor and submitted Chandler with a rear naked choke with three minutes left on the clock. Speaking to talkSPORT in February, Poirier detailed insights into his negotiations with UFC President Dana White regarding his last fight. “I’m going to put the gloves down and I’m just hoping I will be able to do that here in New Orleans, Louisiana,” he said. “You know, where I picked them up. I started fighting in Louisiana, I would love to retire here in Louisiana in the summer. “Me and the UFC have been talking about this, they’re trying to get the state of Louisiana on board, New Orleans on board and we’re pushing for the summer, so I really hope it comes together man.” No official announcement has been made for Poirier’s retirement fight, but Ilia Topuria, Dan Hooker, Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway have all been named as suitable farewell opponents.
Michael Chandler believes he is living ‘rent free’ in Dustin Poirier’s head following cheating accusations from his UFC rival.
Poirier sparked a major reaction from the MMA world last month when he called Chandler ‘fake’ and a ‘cheater’ in a scathing attack on his character.
‘The Diamond’ said his ongoing dislike for Chandler stems from when the latter debuted with the UFC in 2021.
Poirier claimed his fellow American had gone from friend to trash talker when Chandler made the switch from Bellator to the UFC.
Both men then collided at UFC 281 in November 2022, with Poirier submitting Chandler in the third round after an epic battle.
“I don’t lose a wink of sleep thinking about Dustin Poirier and how he thinks about me,” Chandler told Zach Gelb.
“Unfortunately, obviously I live rent free in his head and he does lose sleep over me. So I don’t think about it. When you ask, ‘What do you think about it?’ I don’t.
“It’s no big deal. We’ll keep on moving on, not everybody’s going to like you and that’s just fine by me.”
Chandler is gearing up for his next UFC fight against Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett next month in Miami.
The pair will lock horns in the co-main event of UFC 313 on April 12, with Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes fighting for the vacated featherweight title in the headline act.
Poirier, meanwhile, has announced that his next fight will be his last, having suffered a submission defeat at UFC 302 to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in his previous appearance.
Chandler admitted that once he is finished with fan-favourite Pimblett, he would be more than happy to give Poirier his UFC send off.
“I would definitely welcome me being Dustin’s retirement fight,” he added.
“I mean, he’s a legend. And I say that because he’s a legend, it’s not like I want to get back the loss or it’s not because I have any sort of animosity.
“I don’t want to fight him because of the disagreements that we’ve had. I just want to fight him because he’s a legend, but we’ll see.
“I’ll heal up after April once I starch Paddy Pimblett, and he’s talking about fighting in July or August, I wouldn’t mind going to New Orleans at that time of the year.
“Either way I’m coming to the fight. I’m gonna be there for his retirement fight out of respect, but I wouldn’t mind stepping into the octagon with him.”
Chandler has mixed it up with some of the best lightweights in the world, and had Poirier stumbling at the beginning of their fight in 2022.
Poirier recovered well and dropped Chandler later in the round as the New York crowd were treated to an all-out war.
Chandler’s nose was a leaky mess in the second round as he pressed Poirier, slammed him to the canvas and the bloody brawl ticked on.
Chandler had Poirier’s back for most of the second five minutes, but the latter was patient and UFC fans were awarded another round.
Then, in the third and final round, ‘The Diamond’ found his own success on the floor and submitted Chandler with a rear naked choke with three minutes left on the clock.
Speaking to talkSPORT in February, Poirier detailed insights into his negotiations with UFC President Dana White regarding his last fight.
“I’m going to put the gloves down and I’m just hoping I will be able to do that here in New Orleans, Louisiana,” he said.
“You know, where I picked them up. I started fighting in Louisiana, I would love to retire here in Louisiana in the summer.
“Me and the UFC have been talking about this, they’re trying to get the state of Louisiana on board, New Orleans on board and we’re pushing for the summer, so I really hope it comes together man.”
No official announcement has been made for Poirier’s retirement fight, but Ilia Topuria, Dan Hooker, Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway have all been named as suitable farewell opponents.
