Michael Chandler acknowledges that the accusations labeling him a cheater in the UFC are difficult to accept, but he maintains a clear conscience.
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 allegations that arose after his losses to Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira.
Leading up to this significant lightweight match, Chandler was questioned about these accusations.
“The narrative is indeed tough,” Chandler admitted to MMA Fighting. “People who don’t know me personally might misunderstand. Unless you’re close to me, you don`t see who I really am beyond the cameras. Some people suspect I`m just pretending to be nice for the cameras and am actually a bad person. You`ll always encounter such opinions.”
“However, I am confident in who I am at my core. I strive to act correctly, treat people well, and conduct myself with honor and respect. So, the cheating talk is hard for me to hear, but it’s also part of public perception.”
Chandler’s UFC record is 2-4, but he has earned a bonus in five of these fights. “Iron” is seeking his first victory in almost three years when he enters the octagon in 2025.
In his most recent fight, Chandler lost a decision to Oliveira last November, despite a strong comeback attempt in the fifth round. Oliveira withstood Chandler’s attacks, which included strikes that some considered to be illegal blows to the back of the head, although the referee did not penalize them.
Despite this, the cheating narrative resurfaced.
“Did I grab Dustin Poirier’s mouthpiece? Yes, because I thought it was his chin,” Chandler explained. “I’ve already discussed that. Things happen during a fight. Fighters grab the cage or get fingers in gloves – these things occur.
“In the Oliveira fight, Charles Oliveira pressed his chin so deeply into my eye socket that I feared blindness, which is illegal – an eye gouge. He also grabbed my gloves while attempting to choke me. These things happen in the heat of combat. I would never accuse Charles Oliveira of cheating. His body is reacting instinctively in a fight-or-flight situation. Things just happen. So, this cheating narrative is difficult to accept.”
Earlier in the fight week, Pimblett was asked about Chandler potentially bending rules. Pimblett stated that it’s the referee`s responsibility to intervene if rules are broken and mentioned Poirier’s comment about biting Chandler’s fingers if he hadn`t been wearing a mouthguard during their UFC 281 fight.
Chandler appreciated Pimblett’s lighthearted approach to the accusations, noting that not all lightweights have reacted the same way.
“I respect Paddy for not exaggerating this,” Chandler said. “I think it shows weakness to accuse someone of cheating. Justin Gaethje’s reaction surprised me most. Justin Gaethje, a savage, calling me a cheater? Come on, man. It seems like a sign of weakness.”
“Regardless, things happen in the octagon. Fans won’t always approve of everything you do, and often they won`t like you anyway, so it’s not that important. I do what I believe is necessary in the fight, and I’ll stop if the referee tells me to. You do many things in the octagon without even realizing it, and it’s the ref`s job to manage that.”
“We`ll see how these next fights go.”
