Islam Makhachev, the pound-for-pound king and UFC lightweight champion, is searching for his next opponent after Dustin Poirier. His potential matchup with Arman Tsarukyan is now in jeopardy due to Tsarukyan’s months-long UFC suspension. Recently, Makhachev has been offered fights against Michael Chandler and his former rival Dustin Poirier. Let’s delve into the details of these potential matchups.
Islam Makhachev Declines Fight with Michael Chandler
Chandler was slated to fight Conor McGregor at UFC 303, but McGregor withdrew due to a toe injury. Now, Chandler faces criticism for waiting on McGregor, especially since there’s no update on McGregor’s return date. Chandler has recently disclosed that he was offered a matchup with Makhachev for an October bout. However, he also noted that if McGregor’s toe heals by September, he will pursue that fight at UFC 306 at the Sphere.
Chandler began taunting Makhachev on Twitter, writing, “Good old-fashioned passionate American @MizzouWrestling beats sambo all day. @MAKHACHEVMMA.” In response, Makhachev mocked Chandler, calling him unreliable. Makhachev tweeted, “You are unreliable, dude. One tweet from your master, and you’ll run away. The champ needs a real opponent.”
In that tweet, Makhachev was referring to McGregor as the “master,” suggesting that if McGregor tweets about a fight, Chandler would quickly return to him. This isn’t the first time Makhachev has mocked Chandler regarding his potential fight with Conor McGregor. Previously, Makhachev criticized Chandler for comparing him to ‘Hachiko,’ the Japanese Akita known for its unwavering loyalty, who waited for its deceased owner for a decade at Tokyo’s Shibuya Station. Now, Makhachev is calling Chandler unreliable and expressing disinterest in fighting him. Chandler’s future remains uncertain, with no clear opponent in sight.
