DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – Michael Chandler insists things aren’t personal between him and Dustin Poirier heading into UFC 281.
Chandler (23-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) faces Poirier (28-7 MMA, 20-6 UFC) on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The top lightweights were involved in a verbal altercation at UFC 276 in July, which has led many to think that there’s beef between them.
But Chandler says a lot of what both he and Poirier have said has been taken out of context.
“I think there’s just a tug of war between two dudes who’ve got the same goal,” Chandler recently told MMA Junkie. “His goal is to step in the octagon and beat me and get his hand raised and continue to prove that he’s one of the best in the world. I have the exact same goal.
“There’s some things that have been said. He disrespected me right away and said he’d rather sell hot sauce. I said I’m a bigger draw than him. We’ve said some things that maybe we do believe, maybe we don’t really believe. Maybe it was something we got caught up in the moment on these microphones.”
Chandler, whose past two fights were a Fight of the Year contender against Justin Gaethje and a Knockout of the Year candidate over Tony Ferguson, never fails to entertain.
And with a dancing partner like Poirier, Chandler is expecting another fireworks-filled fight.
“He’s a consummate just dog,” Chandler said of Poirier. “He just goes hard. But we’ve put together a great game plan. I trained with one of his former coaches and some of his former teammates. I’ve been at (American Top Team) and trained at ATT years ago as he got Mike Brown in his corner, who is a genius. He’s got these guys who know me and my style well. I know him and his style well.
“There’s an immense amount of tape out there on him. There’s a decent amount of tape out there on me. So may the best man win on Nov. 12. But I can tell you this: I’m coming to put my foot on the gas and get that title shot that I think I will have after I win.”
