Michael Chandler criticizes Arman Tsarukyan for refusing title fight at UFC 302, Tsarukyan regains strength

Michael Chandler knows from personal experience that your biggest and best opportunities depend on timing.

After Khabib Nurmagomedov shocked the world after making his UFC debut in spectacular fashion with a first-round KO of Dan Hooker, the three-time Bellator lightweight champion returned to the UFC in just his second fight since the promotion. We decided to fight for the title. retirement. Although he ultimately lost to Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 and missed out on a championship shot, Chandler had no regrets about accepting the challenge three months after making his Octagon debut.

That's why Chandler can't understand how Arman Tsarukyan ultimately turned down a title fight with current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev after defeating Oliveira at UFC 300. Chandler was offered a chance to face Makhachev at UFC 302 in June, but he chose to do so. He passed and Dustin Poirier won the title fight in his place.

“Arman just went out there and beat Oliveira. Obviously, it looks like he's going to be the next No. 1 candidate,” Chandler said. MMA Hour. “I don't understand why he didn't take that fight. I would have taken it.”

Chandler understands the nature of how sports work, where missed opportunities can come back to hurt someone in the end.

Just a few weeks after Makhachev faced Poirier at UFC 302, he couldn't help but say he would bring Conor McGregor back into the Octagon in the main event of UFC 303. The winner could easily slip into the next title fight, whether they like it or not.

“This sport moves quickly,” Chandler said. “This sport moves so fast that the lightweight title will be decided on June 1st.” [fight] And the biggest fight, a much bigger fight, is coming in a few weeks, and both of those guys could be at lightweight.

“That's why this sport moves so fast. You've got to take advantage of your opportunities. You've got to pounce on these guys. For someone who just waited 15 months, people say, 'Oh yeah, Chandler, you're He's really jumping at the opportunity.” Again, in the last 15 months I have never been asked for a chance. ”

As for Tsarukyan's chances of defeating Makhachev, if that fight were to take place again, Chandler acknowledged that the 27-year-old Georgian fighter poses a risk to anyone he faces. Despite his sudden Octagon debut, Tsarukyan arguably gave Makhachev one of his toughest bouts to date, but the Dagestani thug still won by unanimous decision. .

Chandler doesn't expect the rematch to play out differently, even though Tsarukyan understands the risks involved in a five-round title fight.

“Obviously, he knocked Beneil out.” [Dariush], he’s good on the ground,” Chandler said of Tsarukyan. “You saw it against Oliveria. He's very down to earth, very strong on the base, he's a strong guy. There are a lot of male numbers in Islam. He's not just fighting for himself. He's fighting for Habib's legacy. He's fighting for Habib's father's legacy. Fighting. It's so deep and special. It's scary for a lot of people.

“But instead, I think Islam is holding out against Poirier. I think he will keep the fight against Armand. And maybe it will be in the first quarter of next year, I would fight him. Dew.”

Just as Chandler jumped at the chance to fight Makhachev, even under less than ideal circumstances, Tsarukyan tells the veteran lightweight that his career has been playing chess, not checkers. It reminded me that it was.

In response to Chandler's comments, Tsarukyan hit back with a nuclear bomb, slamming the UFC 303 headliner for consistently putting on exciting matches and losing.

“I don't expect you to understand Michael Chandler,” Tsarukyan wrote on Twitter. “We're not on the same level. I'm here to be a champion. You're just waiting for a paycheck.

“I don't even know why I waited. [for the] If Conor had fought for two years, he might have lost four exciting fights in that time. ”