MMA Fighting - Michael Chandler Vows To ‘Flatline’ McGregor & Send Him Into Retirement, Makes Prediction for Makhachev-Poirier

Episode Date: May 30, 2024

Michael Chandler has been waiting for over a year to finally get his hands on Conor McGregor but that day finally comes at UFC 303 on June 29. Ahead of the highly anticipated showdown, Chandler speaks to MMA Fighting senior reporter Damon Martin about the long wait and if there were ever any moments where he actually considered bowing out and facing someone different rather. He also addresses McGregor’s return from a broken leg and how all eyes are going to be on the Irish superstar in the days leading up to the fight and why he actually sees that as an advantage. Chandler also explains how he defused McGregor’s trash talk when they were filming The Ultimate Fighter together and his expectations to use that same game plan against the former two-division UFC champion as they start meeting at press conferences and media obligations heading into UFC 303. Chandler also gives his prediction on the UFC 302 main event when Dustin Poirier attempts to dethrone Islam Makhachev. All this and more in a special one-on-one interview with Chandler ahead of UFC 303. Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Support for this show comes from the Audible Original, the downloaded two, ghosts in the machine. The Earth only has a few days left. Rosco Cudulian and the rest of the Phoenix colony have to re-upload their minds into the quantum computer, but a new threat has arisen that could destroy their stored consciousness forever. Listen to Oscar winner Brendan Fraser reprise his role as Rosco Cudulian in this follow-up to the Audible Original Blockbuster. The Downloaded, it's a thought-provoking sci-fi journey where identity, memory, and morality collide. Robert J. Sawyer does it again with this much-anticipated sequel that leaves you asking, What are you willing to lose to save the ones you love?

The Downloaded 2, Ghosts in the Machine. Available now, only from Audible. Support for this show comes from the Audible original, The Downloaded 2. Ghosts in the Machine. The Earth only has a few days left. Rosco Cudulian and the rest of the Phoenix colony have to re-upload their minds into the quantum computer, but a new threat has arisen that could destroy their stored consciousness forever.

Listen to Oscar winner Brendan Fraser reprised his role as Rosco Cudulian in this follow-up to the audible original blockbuster, The Downloaded. It's a thought-provoking sci-fi journey where identity, memory, and morality collide. Robert J. Sawyer does it again with this much anticipated sequel that leaves you asking, what are you willing to lose to save the ones you love?

The downloaded two, Ghosts in the Machine, available now, only from Audible. To the Vox Media Podcast Network. I am so happy to be able to say that officially UFC 303, June 29th, Kappanoff International Fight Week,

the main event is on. Connor McGregor against my next guest, my old friend Michael Chandler Michael I got to say man after that intro are you just finally happy to say this is a done deal and you're fighting Connber Gregory UFC 303 yeah man

for a lot of different reasons you obviously personally man it's been uh I've known that I was making the right decision I've known that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing um I there was moments where I questioned it obviously because I'm human but you know it never really wavered

I had enough going on and no enough information going on behind the scenes. You know, from the outside looking at, everybody thinks that, you know, I'm just sitting here on my hands and I'm not talking to UFC. We're not getting word from Connor. We're not hearing all the different things that you guys don't know about that the fans don't know about. So we had a lot more reassurances than a lot of people thought or gave us credit for.

And I've known that June 29th was going to be the date for months now, signed the contract weeks ago. So I've been, you know, did. diligent with keeping my mouth closed and just waiting for the UFC to finally put it out. And I knew they were going to do it at the post-fight press conference. The way that they did it was hilarious with the little notes. And, you know, it was hilarious, but very happy. Today, today's training was a lot different than it has been for the last 15 months because we got an actual date.

Yeah. I know you're always like, obviously you post a lot. You're always in the gym. But like, and I know we've talked, of course, a couple of times during this whole process of you like, hey, take advantage of the time. off in terms of letting your body, your brain heal, spend time with your family, you've got kids. Like, these are valuable time that you will not get back because you're in the middle of a fight career. But in terms of your body, in terms of training, like, was it ever hard to just, like, go to the

gym and not, you know, not necessarily have a goal in mind? Or was it good because you got to just go to the gym and enjoy training, enjoy working out and not being like, oh, I got to be ready for this date? Yeah, honestly, it was twofold. It was kind of nice to, to, it's always nice when you can just train. because you want to train or you can train because you want to stay fit or you want to train because you want to get better. You want to train because you want to turn back the hands of time and stay young. That's always nice.

But there was also something nice about knowing that I was going to do the right thing even when I didn't have to. Doing the right thing being trusted with these workouts, being trusted to show up, being trusted to still be disciplined, even if the fight doesn't happen, even if the fight doesn't happen for a full year. even if the fight doesn't happen on the timeline that I want to because if you can be trusted in the small things, then only then can you be trusted in the big things. And then when the big things do come, they're so much bigger and more amazing

than you ever thought they would be. And now here we are on the cusp of it. And honestly, it's crazy. If you think about it day by day, it was a very, very long process. But now that the fight is booked, it's like, man, it went by in a blink of an eye. But I did get to spend a lot of time with my family.

I got to watch my son Hap. He's about to graduate kindergarten over, you know, in a couple weeks. My son, Ace, he's about to turn two years old. So I've spent so much time with him, dated my wife, gone on vacations and gone on trips, and just lived life while also pursuing this dream and made a lot of money outside of the Octagon and built businesses and invested in businesses and done a lot of things. And your boy came in hot, you know, January of 2021. since then I've fought five of the most fast-paced,

entertaining, brutal fights that we've seen anybody come into the UFC and have a stretch of. So a little bit of time off was needed, and I believe it's going to be the coiling of the spring for this next amazing, huge, huge event, June 29th. Let me travel back because we spoke last March from getting the date right when they announced the ultimate fighter and we talked, I want to say, like a few days after that,

we did an interview right before you left for Vegas to go 50. film and you do this entire show and, you know, of course, you know, it's TV, it's reality TV, but you have a couple of moments with Connor. We all know the shove and things like that. And at that moment, we're thinking August, September is going to be the date. Like, it's going to be six months and boom, you're in there. Can you even, like, can you even take anything away from that? Like, it's so long ago, but, like, there was so much build and excitement around that.

And I don't know how much animosity there was. Like, it's weird you have this thing with Dustipori where Dustipori seemingly doesn't like you. And I say this because, and I mean this, in all sincerity, because I do know you so well, you're like the nicest guy. You're a savage, but you're only the nicest guy in the world. I'm like, how can someone not like Michael Chandler? But like, can you use anything? Like, do you even have memories of like that moment with Connor on the show?

Because it is so long ago. It's literally over a year ago that you guys were together like promoting the fight even at that moment. Yeah, it was a very long time ago. But the best thing that happened for me, and this was what I wanted to happen when I realized I was, or whenever I got the offer to do the ultimate fighter, it wasn't about creating animosity. It wasn't about sizing him up. It wasn't about, you know, I wanted to beat him on the show,

and I wanted the opportunity. I wanted the views and the clicks and the likes and the attention of being on ESPN for 12 weeks. Of course, all that. But what I wanted to do was stand confidently on my two feet in front of Connor, watch him the way that he responds and reacts in front of a man who is unwavering, in front of a man who he can't crack,

in front of a man who he can't get underneath his skin. The best thing that happened during that five, six week period during the ultimate fighter was Connor wanted to come in and run the show. And I wasn't afraid to let him run the show, wasn't to let him afraid to make his little jokes, wasn't afraid to let him talk, wasn't afraid to let him be him. But I wasn't going to respond in an insecure way like every single other man has when they step into the presence of the great Connor McGregor. And I have a ton of respect for him. I love what he has created for his life. I love what he has created for the sport. But he knows, without a shadow of the doubt that he is stepping in the octagon against a man who is 100% confident in himself.

I am 100% authentically myself and I am confident in who I am. And in a world full of fakes and in a world full of boisterous overblowing of themselves and a world full of insecurities, he knows that I am a man who is confident in himself. And that was exactly what I wanted to portray to him. And he felt it. He felt my presence on the Ultimate Fighter. So even though it was a year ago, year and a half ago, however long it was, he remembers that. He thought that going into it and it was revealed to him and it was confirmed to him over that five or six week period.

So I think I need that and I needed that more than I need anything else. So now the biggest questions going into the fight itself, and I mean this is a compliment, Michael, like, we know who you are. We know who you are as a fighter. We know the skills you possess. You know, obviously even in the fights that you've lost, you've won in a way. Like no one has ever walked away from a Michael Chandler fight unscathed. It just doesn't happen. I'm quite sure Dustin Poy would say the same thing.

I'm quite sure Justin Gates you would say the same thing. But there's questions about Connor. You know, he's been away for three years. He's coming off a broken leg, which I've heard so many people say maybe the most devastating injury you can have as a mixed martial arts athlete. I talked to Chris Wyden, you know, a couple of times. And he's like, I thought I was good to go when he came back. And he's like, I wasn't. He's like, I couldn't pull the trigger and all these different things.

and you're going in there expecting the Connor that went out there and knocked out Eddie Alvarez inside of two rounds and became a champion. I know you're expecting the Connor McGregor that beat Cowboy Soroni and beat Josiali. You're expecting the best Connor. But in all reality, are there questions? We have to have questions about Connor. I think we have to legitimately have questions about who is going to show up in that cage on June 29th. Yeah, no, obviously there's legitimate questions.

I mean, anybody who goes to an injury like that, three years off of the case, the sport, ring rust. It wasn't like he was active before that. You know, I know the, I know the MMA media and the fans, like, they understand and know how many fights he's had in the last seven years or something, but it is something kind of crazy as far as how many fights he has had. I think I've had more fights in the last three years than he's had in the last decade, you know, so he hasn't been in some of it, if you listen to him, wasn't necessarily

his fault. He wants to be active. So he says, but yeah, man, you're coming back from that. You know, obviously there's a lot of sparring footage being posted. it out there. He's posting it or it's being leaked or however it's getting out there. He's at least in an octagon. He's fully suited up. He's going against guys. He's throwing his spinning stuff. He's throwing his spinning stuff. He's hitting guys hard. He's moving a lot. You know, he's testing it out. And he had to have been testing it out, you know, the last,

obviously, a couple months. And I've kind of gathered that behind the scenes. I'm not a guy who asks a ton of questions. I'm not a guy who demands answers right now when I'm talking to Hunter or Dana. But, you know, I think he really needed to make sure he was. was good to go. And I think I think he's laying down that foundation right now. We still got 74 days or 73 days until the fight. And yeah,

there's a lot of questions. I mean, my biggest question was I respect Connor for saying yes to doing the ultimate fighter and then being locked in to a fight with me because there's a lot easier fights out there that he could have taken. Now that's where I will give Connor credit.

He could have taken an easier fight. He could have taken a fight that was still a fan favorite fight that fans wanted to see and he could come back and get an easier opponent. But Connor has never shied away from a challenge. Connor has never pulled out of a fight and he's had multiple opponents, pull out of fights, changed opponent on short notice. The guy is a fighter. So is he going to be the Connor McGregor moving like he was in 2016, in 2018, or even in 2020

when he fought Jose, or sorry, Donald Seroni, I believe? I don't know. I don't think so. but I'm expecting a dangerous man. A man who believes in himself and has his heart full as a dangerous man and that's who I'm stepping to the octagon with June 29th. You're a wrestling guy, Michael.

I'm sure you saw this from the wrestling community a few weeks ago during the NCAA championships when Carter Starachi won and Jordan Burroughs got a lot of flack afterwards for talking about like if we meet in the Olympic trials, I'll go after that leg. Like I'll go after it. And I know it kind of pissed off a lot of people

being like, dude, you're going to target an injury. Now, I get, like, I understood Bo Nicholns. comments about like making it about yourself and not about the guy who just won an NCAA title, won four NCAA titles. That part I agree with. Don't make it about you in that moment. But like attacking the injury, that's sports. I mean, he has a weakness.

And Chris Weidman said this to me. He's like, I don't know how we didn't think Brad Tavares was going to leg kick me when we fought, but we didn't think he, we didn't really think about that. And then he went out there and literally broke, fractured Chris's other leg by kicking him. And by that point, he was so compromised because the other leg was still not totally a hundred percent. I'm not going to actually a game plan. I mean, again, I think we know who you are, Michael, but that leg, I mean, it's a weakness. There's no way, you're going to, you've got to be making him question that, right? Like, can he throw that kick? Can he block a kick? Like, those are real things,

right? Like, you've got to, you got to think about that. Yeah, no, those are definitely questions. And I, and I have thought about that. Is he going to throw, is he going to throw the leg? Is he not going to throw the leg? You know, people have talked about it, you know, in a sparring, he's throwing it. He's throwing the high kicks. He's throwing body kicks. He loves to throw that kick up the middle. Kicks have always been a big part of Connor's game. Now, is he going to throw him? We don't know.

Does he want to throw them and take the chance of getting taken down off of the kick? I don't know, you know. Am I going to be looking at, you know, attacking his ankle? No, you know, I'm going to let the fight play out. First of all, it is his back leg. So it's not like it's going to be there to be kicked. But, yeah, I mean, if we get on the ground, if an ankle lock is there, I'm not going to be afraid to take it, but I'm not going to be thinking I'm going to be going to be going to be broken leg a couple years ago.

More than anything, it's going to be the movement. It's going to be the second guessing. It's going to be the second guessing of knowing over the last years, the last three years, the amount of time and energy and effort and training I have done compared to what he has done is just an immensely different. So I think that's going to be the biggest determining factor along with the fact that I know I've heard this. I've gotten to this opportunity because exactly how I've operated in the sport for the last 16, 17 years. And I think it's the right time for me and the wrong time for him. In a weird way, you guys have obviously been promoting this fight for over a year since you did the ultimate fighter. That was the start of the promotion.

But we all know leading in the fight week, you know, it's going to be the Connor McGregor show. It's always the Connor McGregor show. You understand that. And you've embraced, you said, you embraced it. You didn't show fear in the face of Connor or feel like you were being disrespected because he was coming in trying to run the show, whatever. But in a weird way, like, we know coming into that fight week on international fight week, going to be a massive week, massive card, that there's going to be, the spotlight's going

to be on Conor Moore, not because just because he's a superstar, but because, again, he hasn't fought in three years. He's coming back for a broken leg. He was promoting Roadhouse, all these things he's doing, and that's going to be the bulk of the focus, so to speak. In a weird way, like, does that benefit you? Like, not to say you're not going to get questions and you're not going to do a billion interviews and all those kind of things, but that's the,

I mean, listen, I don't have a question of what I'm going to get out of Michael Chandler on June 29th. I legitimately have a question about what I'm going to see out of Connor McGregor on June 29. And I think that's going to be the bulk of the focus. So in a weird way, like, you just kind of get to be you, right? You just get to go in there and be Michael Chandler all basically from now until June 29th. Absolutely, man. Number one, ego is the enemy, man. Ego is the enemy.

I could go into Fight Week and get all ticked off that Connor might be getting more shine or might be at the Connor McGregor show. I mean, I ain't got an ego, man. I'm running my own race. I am a piece of this puzzle, and it's going to turn into a beautiful masterpiece on June 29th when I dispatch of this man. However, yeah, that's Connor personified.

He wants the media. He wants the attention. And there really is a lot of those questions, but that just benefits all of us. The way I see it is people have to buy this pay-per-view because if Connor is able to come out and fulfill his promise of the greatest comeback in combat sports history, and somehow beats me, it is the most massive moment in mixed martial arts history.

And that's saying something after this last BMF fight we just had this past weekend, right? But you have to buy this pay-per-view because Connor might succeed in the greatest comeback in combat sports history. Now, the most likely outcome is I go out there and I absolutely flat line him and flatback him, and it's the last time we ever see Connor McGregor in the Octagon. So you're either going to see the greatest comeback in combat sports history or the last time Connor ever fights in the Octagon. So the storyline is set.

There's so much, there's so much depth to the story that is happening leading up to June 29th. Plus, kudos to him and Jalenhall and Doug Lyman on the roadhouse that just came out. You know, it's, there's so many things going on. There's so many layers. And I'm here for it, man. I always knew I was destined for this big of a show. I was always knew I was destined for this big of an opportunity. and if I have to take the quiet road

and just slowly build it brick by boring brick, it is no different than I've done since I was 14 years old in High Ridge, Missouri, wrestling in Northwest High School. And that's the road that I'm on. I'm just a blue-collar kid who somehow made it to this platform under these bright lights,

and I'm going to embrace it and enjoy it. I don't want to misquote you, but I believe you said second-round knockout. Am I getting that, Craig? You're going to put him down the second round. Is that right? Second round, man. First round, I make him second-guess himself.

he starts to wilt second round and finish him. So you can already answer my question there, but I wanted to ask you about it anyways. I guess to me, this is do or die for Connor McGregor because after losing to Dustin and then the broken leg, three years off, he's 35, I think it'll be 36. When I'm mistaken, by the time fight comes around that age. You already kind of said it, but there's a world here

where you go out and you knock out Connemer Gregg in the second round, and that really is the last time we see him. Like, that is it for him. Do you believe in the back of your mind, you do what you believe you're going to, to do to Connor McGregor on June 29, that is probably his last fight. Man, it's definitely possible. You know, the one thing I will say, man, I give Connor a lot of props, man.

I've studied him enough. I mean, I definitely studied him enough over the last 15 months. But also, everyone has studied him in mixed martial arts since he, since his inception in the UFC, man. He's been a very interesting character to watch. But if you watch the ups and the downs, the, the massiveness of the fights that he has had the rivalries that he has had, but then the grit and the will and the determination that he has had, the love that he has for the sport, man, I don't know if it's his last fight,

but the way that I'm going to outclass him, I think the question will be answered whether or not he can hang with the best guys in the world in our weight classes. That question will be answered, and I know that answer to that question, that answer is no when I dispatch him in a second round. With that being said, Connor says he wants to fight forever. Connor, you know, Connor has promoted himself in that way. He's got a ton of fights left. He wants these other fights that he sees in his future. So I don't know how long Connor will fight,

but I know the outcome on June 29th will be his demise, and we'll see if he pulls himself back up. You know, the good thing is, man, anything can happen. And I got a lot riding on this fight too because there is a ton of pressure for a guy who trains as hard as I do, who lives his heart as well as I do in the sport, attention and detail, living his life like a champion and a professional,

you can't go out there and lose to a guy who's coming off a leg break and have been sitting out for the last three years and then doing the things that he has been doing or at least what people think he has been doing and how serious he has been training it. You got one guy who has lived it 100% and earning it every single day

living his life like a professional, and you got one guy on the other side who a lot of people think he isn't taking it seriously. So there's a lot of pressure on me and my career and my legacy and me moving forward, my future for fighting for the title. my future for fighting for the BMF belt. My future for in the sport, I have to win this fight.

So that's why people have to buy this paper view. There's so many different layers, and I'm excited for the journey. It's funny you say that because you're absolutely right. I mean, the reality is we're all going to be talking about what Connor are we going to see, how's he doing, what kind of all those kind of things. But the last thing you want, and I know this, last thing you want is to be the guy that Connor McGregor beats in his comeback. You don't want to be the victim of the greatest comeback in sports history.

Because this is all you do. This is your career. I know obviously you have other businesses. You got your companies and things like that. But this is the business of Michael Chandler is the business of fighting. You know, Connor's got Roadhouse. He's got, you know, his whiskey cup, all these other things he's doing. This is, this is your life.

This is what you do. This is what you've done for more than a decade. You don't want to be the guy to get flattened by Connor McGregor. So, I mean, again, weirdly, like that is a lot of pressure, right? You do not want to be the guy that we all love Josealdo. But what highlight gets shown to Joseoaldo constantly. It's that moment of him rushing across the octagon, one punch, flat down to the canvas. You don't want that.

I know you don't want that. Yeah, I don't want that. It is a lot of pressure. And, you know, there's a lot of questions to be answered. And that's what we love about mixed martial arts. There's so much uncertainty. You're tied on to a tornado. Any man can win on any given night.

It doesn't matter if you're a thousand and one favorite, a thousand to one underdog. Those little four-ounce gloves, anybody can get knocked out by them. If you move your head and a Nat's eyelash of a distance to the left or to the right, you can get knocked out. And we were talking about a knockout artist. This is, you know, kind of joked on the show, actually, the ultimate fighter. He's like, hey, man, you know, when I knock you out, it's going to be my 20th knockout, you know, and I kind of like played it off.

I was like, dude, that is so awesome. Man, so awesome for you. What a cool accomplishment, you know, 20 knockouts, you know. So I played it off. He said, dang it. I didn't. I wasn't expecting that. He was, he was, he wanted like the Dustin Porre.

He answers like, okay, yeah, bro, you want to fight, you know? And I just played it off. You know, that's, that's how I do it. So Connor is a knockout artist. He has got the left hand. He loves that pullback left hand. And he's good with it. He's good with the kicks.

He's good with the left hand. And it's something that we've had 15 months to prepare for. And we still now got 73 days for us to prepare for it now. And, man, this camp's going to be special. This camp's going to be fun. The fights at 170. Less of a weight. cut and I got my team around me who I love and they love me.

I got my training partners around me who I love them and they love me. So it's going to be fun, man. And I love the danger. If you're not doing things that are dangerous, if you're not doing things that there's a possible likelihood of you absolutely falling flat under your face, then you're really not living. And this is me living the dream and I get to do it on the biggest stage possible. Absolutely.

Fighting Connor in general is huge. We know that. And we could talk all day about like, you know, C-3. was incredible. It was an incredible card, an incredible moment. But I think we all know you and Connor's going to end up being the biggest fight of 2024. I don't get into financials very much, but can I ask, like, now that this is all done, you've had the bad agreement sign everything? Is my guy getting paid? Are you getting paid?

Like, is this, are you, are you going to have a red panty night? Like, is this, because I know at the end of the list, this is a fight. It's a big fight. But, I mean, listen, there's a benefit to fight in Connor McGregor that goes beyond just the superstar and getting a lot of attention. You get a paycheck. So can I assume you are getting paid? paid. Yeah, you're going to assume that for sure. Yeah, I mean, there's so many things that

go along with this. And part of it, obviously part of it is the Conner Fight. Part of it over the last year is just me being who I am. I am a valuable asset to anybody who puts their name behind Michael Chairman. If I put my name behind someone's company, when it comes to reputation, when it comes to hard work, when it comes to a set of standards and holding the line and holding the standard. I've made a great living off of helping other companies, investing in other companies, building other companies, endorsing other companies, man. So, yeah, there's been a lot that has happened over the last year.

And yes, on June 29th, we'll be a good night for the Chandler household. And hapon ace will be taken care of for sure. Yeah, that'll be that afterwards. That's when you get to say, like, we're going to Disneyland kids because dad can definitely afford it now. Yeah, exactly, right? It's going to be good. Yeah, absolutely. Now, listen, you've spent so much time focusing on Connor McGregor and beating Connor McGregor on June 20th,

that it almost seems crazy to think about the future. But that's the nature of the sport. I know you talked about this on your Instagram live yesterday. I said this on Saturday night. I said after watching Max Holloway do what he did to Justin Gagee, to me, that guy can call a shot. If he wants to fight Ilya, let him fight Iy Teporia. Let him fight Iy Teporia. If he wants to wait around for the winner of Islam and Dustin, let him get that.

Like, that's how cool that knockout was. But the other one I threw out, and a lot of people were like, you know, that is interesting is him getting the winner of you and Connor because that sometimes fights supersede titles like you and Connor is a bigger fight no offense I'm not saying this to knock it you and Connor's a bigger fight than islam and Dustin we know it's a big fight don't get me wrong but you and Connor we all kind of expect we're going to do bigger numbers that's just the nature of the beast um is there a world where like that is your trajectory you fight Connor on June 29th and then maybe you cap off the year Madison Square Garden December maybe you and max holloway

because, like, what he did with Justin Gagee was pretty incredible. And I know you gave him his props for that. But, like, that would be another one of the biggest fights, one of the biggest fights of the year that need a title in line, although BMF would be nice. Is there a real world where you see that Max Holloway could be a guy you fight in the future? 100%. The way I see it, I think me versus Connor could be the number one contender for the BMF belt, truly because I am a BMF contender.

I'm one of those guys on that short list who should be. fighting for that title. And Connor and Holloway obviously have their history. They fought years ago. I think Connor beat a Max Holloway that hadn't really matured yet. Max Holloway is a much different beast now than he was back all those years ago when they fought. But yeah, man, I, I dispatch of Connor. This has been my, this has been my plan since this whole thing got announced. I go in dispatch of Connor and I fight for the legweight title next, or I fight Holloway for the BMF belt or there's some interesting matchups staying at 170 going up to 170 fighting number one contender a top five guy get a couple of fights up there and

fight for the welterweight belt I want to wear gold or I want to wear BMF before my my my career is over and obviously the gold supersedes the BMF the BMF is just it's it's deeper than it's it's different and deeper than the world championship the world championship I want as an athlete but the BMF I want just as a sportsman. You know, I think I've earned that or at least earn it to be in the in the talks. Now, there's other guys who are just as exciting or maybe even more exciting. I will concede that.

But yeah, I mean, I think I go out and beat kind of the way that I do. The BMF and the title will both be in my post fight speech. I love it. Do you give Dustin a great chance against Islam? I think he came in as a pretty heavy underdog. And I told people, I have no problem he gets a title shot. It's all about timing. We understand that.

And, you know, just, again, Armin was not going to get a fight. And even, like, Holloway, like, I don't think he could turn around a fight June 1st. That's kind of crazy. It's six weeks. Do you give Dustin a great chance against Islam? Yeah, honestly, man, the crazy thing is, I don't know how Armand doesn't say yes to that fight. You know, that's sometimes you got to take fights on short notice. Sometimes your patience pays off, I guess.

So maybe that might work in his scenario. But, man, I don't understand how he didn't say yesterday. Now, with that being said, good for Dustin, man. Dustin, Dustin's done it all in this sport. He's fought Connor twice. The only thing he hasn't done yet is where the UFC goal, you know, and he wants to. So I'm glad he got a shot. Honestly, I was hoping Gaichi was going to win and Gaichy was going to get the shot because I thought Gaichi deserved it more. Obviously, I always wanted to see Gaetchi wear gold. If it wasn't me, I want to see Gaichi wear gold. So do I give him a chance? Absolutely. Do I think, obviously, Islam,

I think Islam is going to have his number. I think Islam is just better in every area. I think Islam finishes it, honestly. Yeah, I think you've got to have, and there's a reason why for years, I wanted to see Michael Chandler and Khabi, and now by extension, you and Islam is because I think you've got to have, you've got to have wrestling to deal with those guys. You've got to have wrestling.

And unlike Gachi, you use your wrestling in your fights. Gachi just kind of avoids it. He never does, and so obviously it didn't work out well with them against Kibib. but like you actually do use your wrestling. I think you've got to have that. You cannot go against one of those doggistandy guys who you know can take you down without at least having some sort of good wrestling.

And I think that's just unfortunate for Dustin. He's in an era where they've had basically almost two back-to-back Dagestani champions. Yeah. And honestly, Dustin, Dustin concedes the takedown a lot. You know, he was taken down in numerous fights. I took him down, held him down the entire second round. and, you know, he's not an hard guy to take down.

And it's not because he's not athletic and not strong. I think he just fights in a way where he's very punch heavy. And when the shot comes in, he kind of just concedes to it. And he feels like he's going to, you know, scramble out of it. And you're not going to be able to do that against Islam. Islam is a human wrecking ball blanket on top of you, too. So it'll be interesting, you know, as I said, obviously, Dustin and I have some history.

But I love that he's gotten to top. title shot. It was unfortunate that it got announced the same night as me and Connor, because nobody's really talking about that. They're talking about me and Connor right now. So it'll be interesting and I'll be watching it for sure. I won't be in Atlantic City or Newark or wherever it is, most likely, but I'll be watching it. Do you allow, like, I know there was a lot of respect between you and Justin before and after your fight? Like that again was the fight of the year that year. Do you allow yourself, like, do you actually get when you watch something like that happened to him where he gets his nose broken in the first round and then gets that, I mean,

I mean, maybe the greatest moment in UFC history just because the way it played out with the last 10 seconds point to the ground, all that kind of stuff. Do you allow yourself, like, do you, in your back your mind, do you feel bad for Justin right now? Because obviously, like, he was, he had, I said this going into it. He had the most to lose at UFC 300 because he was already the number one contender. And like it or not, I'm not knocking it, like it or not. Max Holloway's a featherweight. Like, that's his weight class. He's been a featherweight his entire career.

Now, listen, I don't think he can, I think he can still get back to the title shot. Look what Dustin just did. but do you a lot, like do you get a little heartbroken for a guy like Justin when you see him go through that, knowing everything that was on the line and how it kind of all goes away right now? 1,000 percent, man, it's not in the back of my mind. It was in the front of my mind. You know, you can even see UFC social media kind of going through getting everybody's reaction. And my reaction was very, it didn't look like I had much of reaction at all because I was literally praying like,

God, please let Justin get up. The way that he fell, how he was not moving, I thought it was going to be one of those knockouts where, dude this two is going to be out for a long time and just dear god let the man get up he's a phenomenal human um i mean he's your favorite fighter's favorite fighter man he he embodies what we want in mixed martial arts and he lives it too i you know obviously i don't sound like he and i are friends and we talk but i am friends with kamaru usman and he talks about how justin lives his life and how he trains and how much he loves it um he's one of the good ones in the sport it will be a sad sad day when Justin Gaichi hangs it up for us mixed martial arts fans.

And yeah, man, he did have so much to lose. I mean, I said this months ago when I thought Justin was going to fight for the title next, and then somehow the BMF belt thing happens. And I imagine he got persuaded and got negotiated into that, and it was probably a favorable, great option for him financially. So it probably made a lot of sense. And then you got Dustin coming in and beating number 12 and then getting the title shot. You're like, dude, that should be Gaichie's spot, you know.

it's how it happened and he went out on his shield and that's why we love Justin Gachie and yeah it's not in the back of my mind it's it was in the front of my mind I I feel bad for him feel gutted for him as much as you can feel bad for somebody knowing that this is a sport that we chose and I don't want to feel bad for I part of me doesn't want to feel bad for him because he doesn't want anybody to feel bad for him he doesn't want anybody's sympathy he's that kind of guys they don't feel bad for me I chose this this is my life I am an absolute warrior and that's the respect that he wants So I wish him well in his recovery and I hope he takes it, you know, a little bit of time off and then gets back in there and fights his way back toward the title. There was a funny comment.

I think, I can't remember who made it. Somebody. I want to say maybe it was somebody who said it the other day. Maybe it said not to Mocha kind of. Somebody said it. If you see Max Holloway point to the center of the cage and say, let's go, you walk the other way, like jokingly, obviously. I know again, your focus is Connor McGregor, let me be clear about that. But if it is Max Holloway, he points to the center of the cage.

do you get excited? Like it just feels like that's a Michael Chandler moment right there. Hey, listen, the Michael Chandler who's sitting right here in this chair talking to you,

I'm like, absolutely. No, I'm running the other direction. But I can almost guarantee you the Michael Chandler that's inside the octagon who does the things that he does makes a lot of times ill-advised decisions.

I can almost guarantee I might even point to the crown before he doesn't beat him to it. But no, man, it's, yeah, this is a scary place. to be. Better keep your hands up and you better just start swinging.

I don't want you to steal this gimmick or anything, but I think it would be kind of cool if you got to do that to Connor. I'm just saying, like, if you get a moment, Conner's point at the auction, like, come on. I think we kind of fun. Well, yeah, I mean, I was the guy who was taking, taking some damage with Justin Gatesy and totally, totally come. And, yeah, so there's some gamesmanship that goes on. I don't, I don't think Connor has ever fought a guy.

I think he's fought guys that might have some more skill to me. I think he's fought guys who, you know, who are, who are better than me in certain areas. As we all are, we all got our strengths and weaknesses and as a whole. But when it comes to competitors, when it comes to a guy who's not afraid, when it comes to a guy who's not afraid to be in a firefight, honestly, fight a guy who's not afraid to die in the Octagon. He hasn't fought a guy like that ever in his entire life. So, and now coming up, coming into this fight with all the masses and all the pressure

and the entire world watching, it's going to be an interesting experience for him. because he's going to find himself in deep waters pretty quick. I can't wait. I mean, this is the biggest fight of the year. I'm so excited. I'm so happy it's happening. I'm happy as being on the international fight week. You guys get the big marquee card in June.

It's going to be incredible. Michael, this is, again, you've been waiting for it. Now you can finally talk about it's finally real. It's finally here. And listen, you know, Connor is Connor. He's an incredible fighter. He's a multi-division champion, all these kind of things. But it's a different kind of fire.

It's never going to walk it into a different kind of fire when you're fighting Michael Chandler. So I can't wait. I know you can't wait. Thank you, as always for the time. You know, I appreciate it. Obviously, have a great rest of your training camp. You're fighting at Welchway.

You got some savages in your gym at Welchway. And Shavkat, you got Gilbert Burns. You have Vicente Lucke. That gym is stocked full of Welterweights to get you ready for this one. It is, man. Yeah, and I got Robbie Lawler. Robbie Lawler's coaching me for this camps, too. So, yeah, man, I got, that's the thing about me.

I think the difference between me and kind of the next 73 days is I'm throwing myself into the fire going against the toughest, SOBs on the entire planet and it looks like he pulled he pulled his training partners off the street so it's going to be uh it's going to be interesting and uh i can't wait man i uh i got a ton of respect for connor but i cannot wait to take his head off june 29 do you remember the the quote robbie had a few years ago when he was championed and they asked him about fighting connor and they said it was right after the n a ds fight and he said well he's like uh he's like he doesn't want to fight me because i wouldn't have taken his neck and he goes what would you have taken he goes

his soul that's like the coldest line ever I just talked to Robbie about that the other day, man. I feel like I get to take Connor's soul for Robbie. That's the plan, man. Absolutely drown him. It's not physical, man. It's going to be spiritual. It's going to be emotional.

It's going to be deeper than just the punches, kicks, knees, and elbows, man. I want to break his spirit. I want to steal his soul and snatch his soul. I might even snatch his soul and bring it over to Robbie Lawler in the corner and hand it to him. Are you planning on having Robbie in the corner? Is that how involved he's going to be?

Yeah, he's going to be very, very, very involved, man. Obviously, Robbie's been a friend of mine for over a decade, and, you know, he's been one of my favorite fighters for a really long time. There's some, he's a South Paul. And obviously from the striking aspect, that's important, but then also just from the other exchanges, the grappling aspect, the cage aspect, and just honestly the mindset, man, I got a ton of respect for him.

So, yeah, I mean, I think that's the plan right now. So we're going to, we got a meeting this week to kind of talk about everything and get things planned out because we're doing things a little bit different this camp, and it's going to be even more attention to detail. So I'm excited about it. I always tell people, Robbie, obviously is savage, and I'm glad he's getting into coaching because he's got a great mind for this. I was like, every time I ever interviewed Robbie Lawler,

you'd be lucky to get eight words out of him. But I was around actually your manager, Dave Martin. I was in Louisville years ago. It was when I was down there with Ryan Bader and Robbie and all those guys were down there. You get Robbie outside of the camera? He's like the most talkative, like funniest guy in the world. He's not a media guy. but when he's not when the cameras aren't on dude he is like the funniest like most like i can only

imagine like how great he could be yeah man he's great he just he understands the sport i mean he's the guy who's lived it man you know there's a lot of you know there's a lot of coaches in this sport that have earned i guess uh ascended to the ranks of being known as good good you know coaches but that can really have the track record and you can do that like bill bellichick wasn't a great football player became the greatest coach of all time you can do it um but when you got a guy like Robbie who has been in the fire, in the trenches. I mean, dude, how do you not respect the hell out of him? And every single thing he says, you just hang on it.

And you're like, okay, well, if this is what you're going to do, I'm going to do it. Because I know you would do it because you lead from the front and you have done it for the last 20-something years. So it's an honor. It's exciting. And what we're doing down here in Florida is awesome. I love it. Michael, it is always a pleasure, my friend. I appreciate the time.

Have a great training camp. Have fun. Get ready. June 29th. I'm not to get here soon enough. I'm already excited. Like, hold on. We got to get through UFC 301 and 3002.

Before we got to get to the, so like, I'm so excited, man. Thank you, as always for the time. You know, I appreciate it. And cannot wait. And don't forget, like, so you win on Saturday night on June 29 to expect to text on June 30 to come back and talk to me about knocking out Conner McGregor in the second round. Well, we'll do it, baby. I will do it.

I might have an alcoholic beverage in hand. I might have a hiatus tequila in hand sitting by the pool somewhere, and it'll be fun. We'll toast going back on hiatus for a little while until we figure out what's next. I love it. Michael, it's always a pleasure, man. I appreciate the time. Yes, sir. Thanks, David. Appreciate it, man. Talk soon. Talk soon, man. Bye-bye.

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