Poirier slams Chandler: what did ‘The Diamond’ say?
Both UFC fighters exchanged some messages on X, with the Louisiana native making clear he doesn’t like Chandler.
Dustin Poirier hasn’t announced if he will keep competing in the UFC or will retire after his last fight with Islam Makhachev.
However, it seems the American is closer to a return than to retirement, at least according to his most recent tweets, where the former interim lightweight champion challenged the Dagestani and Conor McGregor.
The Diamond had the chance of leaving the sport in style, by becoming the lightweight king against Makhachev, but the Russian got away with the win after a grueling fight that went to the fifth round.
After his defeat, the American, one of the greatest mixed martial artists to never win the division’s absolute belt, looked ready to hang up the gloves, but some days after, he recognized that there was a chance of returning to the cage one last time.
Poirier attacks Chandler, but why?
Poirier is one of the most professional and loved fighters inside and outside the ring, due to the respect he has always shown towards his opponents.
However, ‘The Diamond’ doesn’t like Michael Chandler, and he proved it in an interview for The MMA Hour, with combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani.
Asked about both men’s tension, Poirier said he didn’t like Chandler’s dirty tactics when they fought in 2022, a fight he won. Following that victory, he ripped into Chandler for being “a dirty motherf*cker” who committed several fouls during their clash.
When Poirier challenged Makhachev and McGregor on social media, Chandler replied, saying “No thanks” - retire man…we good”, and Poirier didn’t bite his tongue.
“Who the f*ck is ‘we?!’ You just go here, buddy. You’re not one of us. You’re not ‘we.’ I have been here. ‘We’re good.’ Who’s we? Welcome to the UFC, dude. You’ve got one win in the UFC”, he said to Helwani.
“He’s not one of us. I’ve been cutting my teeth in the UFC since January 2011, 2010. He just got here. Who is ‘we’? He’s speaking for the lightweight division? Muscle Milk Mike needs to chill”, he added.
Since his fight against Poirier, Chandler hasn’t been in the octagon. He has been waiting 18 months to take on Conor McGregor, but the fight hasn’t happened yet. The American seems ready to keep waiting to take on the Irishman, as he’s one of the biggest names in MMA history, and a fight with the former double champ would translate into a huge payday for Chandler.