Dustin Poirier caused quite a stir in a recent podcast appearance when asked about his thoughts on Michael Chandler.
UFC fan favorites Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler may never fully see eye to eye almost four full years after their UFC 281 clash. Despite the time since their Octagon clash, tensions between Chandler and Poirier remain as strong as ever.
Chandler will face Paddy Pimblett in a highly anticipated five-rounder in the UFC 314 co-main event in April. He returns after a loss to Charles Oliveira in their UFC 309 rematch by unanimous decision.
Chandler and Poirier treated fans to one of the best fights in UFC lightweight history at UFC 281. It was a back-and-forth fight for as long as it lasted before Poirier tapped out Chandler in the final round.
Poirier went off on Chandler in a recent podcast appearance, calling him a ‘cheater’ and ‘fake’. Poirier pointed to some of Chandler’s controversial in-fight tactics as the main reason for his disdain.
- READ MORE: Nate Diaz mocks Logan and Jake Paul over recent ‘brother vs. brother’ boxing match teases
Michael Chandler says he lives ‘rent-free’ in Dustin Poirier’s mind
During a recent interview on The Zach Gelb Show, Chandler responded to Poirier’s latest comments.
“I don’t [respond]. I don’t lose a wink of sleep thinking about Dustin Poirier and how he thinks about me,” Chandler said. “Unfortunately I live rent-free in his head, and he does lose sleep over me. I don’t think about him. When you ask ‘What do you think about it?’, I don’t.
“It’s no big deal, and we’ll keep on movin’ on. Not everybody is going to like you, and that’s just fine by me.”
As of this writing, Poirier hasn’t provided further comment on his relationship with Chandler. He and Chandler shared the same card for Chandler’s UFC debut against Dan Hooker, in which Poirier knocked out Conor McGregor in the card’s main event.
Despite their animosity, Poirier surprisingly picked Chandler to beat Pimblett at UFC 314 with supreme confidence.
Michael Chandler set for second UFC booking since ending Conor McGregor pursuit
Poirier and Chandler’s beef reignited in December when Chandler trolled Poirier after his teammate, Michael Johnson, earned a big win at UFC Tampa. Johnson is one of the few lightweights to knock out Poirier in their promotional tenures.
Poirier’s UFC retirement fight is reportedly in the works for later this year, potentially in the former interim titleholder’s home state of Louisiana. He hasn’t fought since losing to UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 last June.
The animosity between Poirier and Chandler appears to be one-sided, and Chandler is basking in the hatred from his former rival.
- READ MORE: UFC Vegas 103 loses two fights at the last minute as weigh-in drama gives weak card a huge hit