UFC champ reveals who started Poirier vs. Chandler scuffle at UFC 276

UFC 276 saw some fireworks over the weekend, including a sensational KO scored by Alex Pereira over Sean Strickland. There were also plenty of dynamic moments in the headliner between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway and the brawl between Bryan Barberena and Robbie Lawler.

There was also a flash-point outside of the cage on Saturday night involving two top ranked lightweights.

Recent UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns captured the whole thing. He uploaded video showing arena security separating former lightweight title challengers Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier.

Check out that video below:

It remains unclear as to why these two were going at it or why Poirier, who is usually viewed as cool and collective, was so irate.

However, we now know who likely started the kerfuffle — thanks to MMA reporter Helen Yee.

She caught up with UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka, an apparent eye witness to the whole incident.

“I was closest, next to Dustin and he started to be aggressive, to talk some trash talks and all this stuff for the Michael,” revealed Prochazka (ht sportskeeda). “And they start to talk together. Nothing surprised for me but I saved them [laughs]. I just watched that and there was a guy from the UFC and they tried to fix it.”

Yee then confirmed with Prochazka that—according to him—Poirier was the instigator in this incident.

“I think yeah,” he answered.

Both Poirier and Chandler are in the top five of the UFC’s lightweight rankings. Poirier is coming off a submission loss to Charles Oliveira in a lightweight title fight. Before that he beat Conor McGregor by TKO (twice) and Dan Hooker by unanimous decision.

Chandler just beat Tony Ferguson with a brutal front kick. That snapped his two fight losing streak, which included a decision loss to Justin Gaethje and a TKO to Oliveira. He beat Hooker in his UFC debut in 2021.