As Michael Chandler’s dreams of a massive money fight with Conor McGregor appear to be slipping away, one of his long-time rivals is feeling little sympathy.
Brent Primus, the former Bellator lightweight champion and current PFL playoff star, had an iconic series of fights with Chandler in 2017 and 2018. He dethroned the current UFC contender as champion in a controversial Madison Square Garden showdown before Chandler returned the favour in Hawaii.
But despite two fights and both landing a win, there is still no love lost between the pair. And Primus is not too disappointed to watch his long-time rival lose out on a monster payday, branding him a ‘little turd’ in a recent chat with Bloody Elbow.
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Brent Primus ‘does not feel bad at all’ as Michael Chandler vs Conor McGregor falls apart
After their UFC 303 showdown was cancelled due to injury, it appeared that Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler would instead do battle this December. But it now seems that date is up in the air, with both men publicly calling for the fight while promoter Dana White pours cold water.
Many fans have felt sympathetic for Chandler, whose last fight was in November of 2022, as he seems to be losing years from his career. But Brent Primus is not one them.
“I do not feel bad for Michael Chandler at all,” Primus told Bloody Elbow. “Hell no, that little turd? Not at all. I feel like he’s such a fake person that I feel like with the messages we had between each other, he’s a disrespectful little punk, screw that guy, dude.
“I can’t be hating, he’s doing what he’s doing and making money. I heard he made a bunch of money on The Ultimate Fighter show so he doesn’t even really have to fight and that’s one of the reasons why he can wait around for the big cheque of fighting Conor, screw Michael Chandler.”
Brent Primus picks Conor McGregor to beat Michael Chandler ‘because I don’t like Michael Chandler’
Primus has felt the power of Chandler on two separate occasions during their heated Bellator rivalry, and reckons that his bout with an aging McGregor is a toss up. But he is letting his heart rule his head as he hopes to see his old rival lose again.
“With that kind of fight it’s almost 50/50 and whoever lands the hardest punch or whatever,” he continued. “Chandler’s exciting and if he lands that big right hand [he could take it]. But Conor is super accurate.
“He throws that left straight like a laser beam and his distance and timing control is really good. But Conor McGregor hasn’t fought in a long time but we’ll see. I’m going to go for Conor just because I don’t like Michael Chandler.”
Brent Primus feels inactivity will hurt Michael Chandler ahead of UFC return
Part of what has given fans pause when it comes to Chandler is the fact that he has lost two valuable years of his UFC career in waiting for this bout. In February of last year he traveled to Las Vegas to film The Ultimate Fighter against McGregor.
Even that ended with a finale last August that the Irishman didn’t attend, and Primus feels that in Chandler’s position he would likely have continued to take fights in the interim. “I would have at least had one or two fights,” he explained.
“But it’s crazy because if he was to take a fight with somebody else and lose then he might not get the big money fight with Conor. So I can see him sitting out and waiting especially with what was a lot of money off The Ultimate Fighter.
“I think just staying active and going in the cage at least once a year is big time. It helps with confidence and all of that. But it’s a good question because I don’t know if I had millions in my bank right now, would I sit and wait to fight for more millions?
“Or would I try and get some other fights that might jeopardise that? I don’t know, but I think staying active is very important for sure!”
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