Boldly stepping into the ring, Michael Chandler has agreed to face Arman Tsarukyan, even as Dana White, the UFC president, has dismissed Chandler's aspirations for a showdown with Conor McGregor. This rejection comes after years of anticipation following the announcement of a potential match between Chandler and McGregor that dates back three years.
In 2023, the two were pitted against each other as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, but McGregor withdrew from their slated fight in 2024 due to a toe injury. Since then, the UFC has not revisited this high-profile matchup, and White has recently made it clear that he won't be rescheduling it for the upcoming White House event in June. Despite this setback, Chandler remains hopeful that White may reconsider his stance, indicating that he is not ready to abandon the fight he's long awaited. Meanwhile, he’s looking at other opportunities that might come his way on the wrestling mats.
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Chandler has accepted a callout from fellow fighter Arman Tsarukyan, marking a significant moment as he steps back into the grappling scene. After losing to UFC 324 star Paddy Pimblett last April, Chandler had not fought in the Octagon since. However, he made a comeback by returning to his wrestling roots, recently competing in the Real American Freestyle organization.
At their fifth event, Chandler showcased his skills by defeating Chad Mendes, and he seems eager to make wrestling a regular part of his schedule. Following his recent match, he was called out by Tsarukyan, which has sparked interest in a potential bout between the two lightweights.
Chandler expressed admiration for Tsarukyan’s ability to stay relevant in the sport: "I noticed someone commented recently that 'Arman has done a great job of remaining in the spotlight.' I completely agree—he’s been vocal about the competition and mentioned my name quite a bit."
He continued, "One thing I appreciate about Arman is that he stays active with his grappling matches. I watched him wrestle live at RAF, and he performed exceptionally well. I’m definitely interested in the prospect of facing Tsarukyan. My primary focus remains on fighting at the White House, but I’m open to opportunities, including a match against him. Both our futures seem uncertain right now, but I’d be willing to wrestle him."
THROWBACK: Did you know Justin Gaethje was knocked out during training by a UFC Hall of Famer before his very first professional MMA fight?
As for Tsarukyan, he may have other plans in motion. Reports suggest that negotiations are in progress for Dustin Poirier to grapple with Tsarukyan under the Hype FC banner, potentially taking place in February. These discussions were brought to light by Hype FC's CEO, Armand Martirosian, during an interview, although there haven't been any recent updates.
Chandler shares an interesting rivalry with Poirier, having faced him in an exciting bout at Madison Square Garden in late 2022. During their encounter at UFC 281, Poirier submitted Chandler and accused him of employing questionable tactics, including fish-hooking.
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