Michael Chandler admits it is ‘tough’ to hear that he has been branded a cheater by several members of the MMA fraternity.
The former Bellator lightweight champion has been accused of cheating numerous times during his UFC career.
Dustin Poirier was left infuriated after Chandler fish hooked him and grabbed his glove during their all-action clash in November 2022.
He also landed in hot water for hitting Charles Oliveira on the back of the head multiple times during their rematch last November.
Ahead of his upcoming fight with Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314 on Saturday night, the allegations have grown louder, leading Chandler to address them.
“I mean, the narrative is tough, man,” Chandler told MMA Fighting.
“People don’t really know me. Unless you’re in my inner circle, you don’t know who I truly am outside of [being] in front of the camera.
“People have their sneaky suspicions that I play nice in front of the camera, and I’m a bad guy behind the camera.
“You’re always going to have those accusations, right?
“But I know who I am, and I know who I am at my core; I’m a guy who tries to do things right, tries to treat people right, do things with honor and respect.
“So, the cheating narrative is a little tough for me, but also, it’s all part of the court of public opinion, man.
“Did I grab Dustin Poirier’s mouthpiece? Yes, I did, because I thought it was his chin. I’ve already addressed that one.
“Things happen in a fight. Are you going to reach over and grab the cage?
“Are you going to get your fingers in the glove? Yeah, those things are going to happen in a fight.
“In the last fight, Charles Oliveira dug his chin so deep into my eye socket that I thought I was going to go blind, which is illegal.
“It’s an eye gouge, right? He was grabbing my gloves when he was trying to choke me. These things happen when you’re inside of the cage.
“I would never say that Charles Oliveira is a cheater. His body is reacting and doing things without his brain’s permission.
“You’re in fight or flight. Things happen, so it’s a tough narrative.”
Hopefully, it doesn’t come to this.
Chandler is currently ranked No.7 in the lightweight division while Pimblett is placed five spots behind him at No.12.
A win for the Liverpudlian could bring him within one fight of competing for the UFC lightweight title.
