Following months of hiatus from the cage, Michael Chandler is set to face Paddy Pimblett at the UFC 314. Despite his readiness to face this new opponent, the fighter might have to clear up some rumors about him cheating.
It seems Michael Chandler has regained his mojo and is ready to return to action after months of waiting for Conor McGregor to return to the octagon. The fighter recently faced Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 and lost after a long absence from the cage, but there have been accusations of cheating. In an interview with MMA Fighting, Chandler addressed these cheating allegations.
“I mean, the narrative is tough, man,” Chandler told MMA Fighting. “People don’t really know me. Unless you’re in my inner circle, you don’t know who I truly am outside of what you see in front of the camera. There are always going to be people with sneaky suspicions, thinking I play nice for the cameras and turn into a different guy when they’re off. You’ll always have those accusations, right?
“But I know who I am. At my core, I’m someone who tries to do things the right way—treat people with respect, carry myself with honor. So yeah, the cheating narrative? It’s a tough pill to swallow. But at the same time, it’s part of the court of public opinion.”
The controversy heated up after his bout with Dustin Poirier, where Chandler was accused of intentionally grabbing Poirier’s mouthpiece. He didn’t dodge the question he owned it, but clarified what actually happened.
“Did I grab Dustin Poirier’s mouthpiece? Yeah, I didbecause I thought it was his chin,” Chandler admitted. “I’ve already addressed that. Look, things happen in a fight. Are you going to reach for the cage? Might your fingers end up in a glove? Sure. These things happen,it’s chaos in there.”
He pointed out that the octagon is no place for perfect behavior. In his fight against Charles Oliveira, Chandler says he experienced some foul play, too.
“In that fight, Oliveira dug his chin so deep into my eye socket I thought I was going blind. That’s an eye gouge—illegal, right? He was grabbing my gloves while trying to choke me. But I would never call Charles a cheater. His body’s reacting in the heat of the moment, without his brain’s permission. You’re in fight or flight. These things happen. So again, it’s a tough narrative.”
Pimblett was also asked about whether or not he believed the accusations against Chandler but he says the ultimate decision resides with the referee. When asked about Paddy Pimblett’s take on the situation, Chandler praised the young lightweight for keeping it respectful.
“I respect Paddy for not making a big deal out of it,” Chandler said. “I think it shows weakness when you start pointing fingers and accusing someone of cheating. The one that surprised me the most? Justin Gaethje. That guy’s an absolute savage, and he’s calling me a cheater? I was like, ‘Come on, man.’ To me, that’s just a bit weak.”
Still, Chandler understands that controversy is part of the game and that fan opinion isn’t always favorable.
“Look, things happen in there. The fans aren’t going to like everything you do. Honestly, fans probably aren’t gonna like you 90 percent of the time anyway, so who cares? I’m doing what I feel is necessary in the moment. If the ref tells me to stop, I’ll stop. There are a lot of things that happen in the octagon that you don’t even realize—you’re just reacting. That’s why the ref is there.”
As for what’s next, Chandler is preparing for his 2025 return with a UFC record of 2-4, aiming to snap a nearly three-year winless streak. Whatever narratives surround him, Chandler’s focus is on getting back in the win column
