UFC star Michael Chandler has not made many friends of his recent opponents.
Michael Chandler is confronted with colleague UFC Fan Favorite Paddy Pimblett at the UFC 314 Co-Main event this Saturday in Miami. After ending his long waiting time for Conor McGregor last year, Chandler wants to return to the win column after a 2-4 run in the UFC Octagon.
In recent losses for Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier, Chandler came under intense research by Oliveira, Poirier, fans and some of his former rivals for controversial tactics. He is accused of fishing, fence grabs and other violations that were not immediately tackled by the presiding referees.
Recent controversies have led Chandler to be labeled a 'cheater' by some of his colleagues.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Michael Chandler admits that he is struggling with fighters who label him a 'cheater'
Chandler is proud of not only to compete hard in the cage, but also to set up a show for the fans present. He has repeatedly rejected claims that he cheats on gaining an unfair benefit in his fighting, despite the growing choir of opponents.
In the midst of the recent controversies, Chandler admits that he has difficulty dealing with some of his former rivals as someone pushing the envelope within the octagon.
During a recent interview with MMA fights, Chandler was asked how he deals with 'Cheater' labels of some of his fighting counterparts.
“I mean, the story is difficult,” Chandler admitted. “People don't really know me. Unless you are in my inner circle, you don't know who I really am outside [being] In front of the camera. People have their secret suspicions that I play nicely in front of the camera, and I am a bad guy behind the camera.
“You will always have those accusations, right? But I know who I am, and I know who I am in my core; I am a man who is trying to do things well, tries to treat people well, do things with honor and respect. So the cheating story is a bit difficult for me, but also, it is all part of the court of public opinion.” (H/t Bjpenn)
In his recent unanimous loss of decision for Oliveira, Chandler seemed to land a whole series of bumps to the back of the head while trying to finish the former title holder. The former Bellator rival of Chandler, Brent Primus, was one of the most vocal critics of the Tactics of the UFC star at UFC 309.
Michael Chandler's Bellator -rival still has a resort of the past beef for UFC debut
Primus, Poirier and Oliveira are not the only big name hunters who have attacked Chandler in recent months. UFC 314 Debutant Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire closed Chandler because he said he would 'beat his whole family' in the run-up to their Bellator 221 collision.
Despite a few of Chandler's career -contacts, he will continue to have a favorite with fans under Avid Fight -fans, and will probably get a big doll on UFC 314. A victory on Pimblett would bring Chandler back to the lightweight title mix, while a loss would take him a step closer to a potentially pension.
Chandler will fight with much to prove on UFC 314 while he is opposed to the rising Pimblett in a crucial lightweight competition. But in addition to his title ambitions, Chandler wants to be labeled as a good sport that competes with integrity.
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