MMA
Dustin Poirier baffled by Michael Chandler's welterweight tease: "I want to know what he's fighting for"
Published
3 weeks agoon
Dustin Poirier is puzzled by Michael Chandler hinting at a possible move to 170 pounds, and would prefer seeing “Iron†hang up his gloves.
Chandler has long been know for his exciting fighting style, but many believe Father Time has caught up. Chandler has lost four straight bouts and he's gone 1-6 in his last seven fights. In that stretch, the former three-time Bellator champion has been stopped four times.
In his latest effort on the UFC Freedom 250 card, Chandler was finished by Mauricio Ruffy in the opening frame. “Iron†hasn't scored a victory since May 2022 when he knocked out Tony Ferguson with a front kick.
Recently, Chandler took to social media to say he was done “starving†himself, and he has begun to bulk up. Many took this as a welterweight tease, but Poirier hopped on the “Deep Waters†podcast and admitted he doesn't feel it makes sense for Chandler to continue his prizefighting career (via MMAJunkie).
“With all due respect, we buried the hatchet and shook hands,†Poirier said. “But Michael Chandler, what are we doing?â€
“The Diamond†then weighed in on the thought of Chandler possibly moving up to welterweight, and he thinks such a decision would make things worse for his former foe.
“I saw a thing, I don't know if this is official news, but he said he might move up to welterweight,†Poirier said. “If 155ers are stopping you and you're taking all this damage, what are 170ers going to do? He's too short. He's not long enough. I want to know what he's fighting for.â€
Poirier actually started Chandler's rough skid when the two went to war on the UFC 281 card back in Nov. 2022. Poirier submitted Chandler in the third round via rear-naked choke inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. Both men earned “Fight of the Night†bonuses.
Do you think Michael Chandler would be best served retiring from pro MMA competition at this stage, or can he still be competitive to some degree? Drop your opinion in the comments below.
You may like
MMA
Top undefeated prospects collide in Noche UFC 4 featherweight bout
Published
16 minutes agoon
August 10, 2026
MMA
Luke Rockhold to face Joe Pyfer in wrestling match at RAF 13
Published
3 hours agoon
August 10, 2026
Rockhold and Joe Pyfer are
set to collide on the mat.
Real American Freestyle recently announced that former
Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder
Rockhold will meet current UFC 185-pounder Pyfer in a catchweight
wrestling match at RAF 13 on Sept. 19 at Watsco Center in
Miami.
Former UFC champion Luke Rockhold meets middleweight contender
Joe Pyfer in a catchweight wrestling match Sept. 19 in Miami
While neither fighter is primarily known for wrestling, both bring
considerable grappling and combat sports experience into the
matchup.
Pyfer, 29, has since established himself as one of the UFC’s most
promising middleweight contenders. A
Dana White's Contender Series signee, Pyfer has won four
straight fights and owns a 7-1 record since joining the UFC in
2022. Most recently, he finished former UFC champ Israel
Adesanya earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Rockhold is looking to register his first victory under
the RAF banner. The 41-year-old made his promotional debut in
January, losing to Colby
Covington. He has remained active across several combat sports
since leaving the UFC in 2022, competing in bare-knuckle boxing,
karate, jiu jitsu and boxing.
Former UFC Middleweight Champion Luke
Rockhold takes on MMA standout Joe Pyfer SEP
19 in Miami at #RAF13Tickets in bio. Watch on @foxnation
pic.twitter.com/VCtb2tH32z— Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA)
August 9, 2026
MMA
Carlos Prates predicts big upset in UFC 330 headliner between Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry
Published
6 hours agoon
August 10, 2026Carlos Prates believes that Islam Makhachev will be leaving Philadelphia without the UFC Welterweight Championship.
Makhachev's 170-pound gold will be at stake when he collides with Ian Machado Garry in the UFC 330 main event on Saturday. It'll be Garry's first UFC title fight and his first pay-per-view headliner. “The Future†will serve as Makhachev's first welterweight title challenger.
The champion will enter as a clear betting favorite, but Garry insists he will stun the MMA world by putting the top pound-for-pound MMA fighter to sleep. While Prates isn't going as far as to predict a finish for Garry, he does feel “The Future†has what it takes to pull off the upset win.
In a clip posted on UFC's X page, Prates shared his pick for the underdog Garry to pull it off.
“UFC 330, Ian Garry is gonna beat Makhachev by decision,†Prates said. “I don't know if unanimous decision or split decision, but it's gonna be a decision.â€
Prates has shared the Octagon with Garry and he nearly pulled off a come-from-behind victory. The Fighting Nerds standout ended up dropping a unanimous decision, and he actually became quite chummy with “The Future†once their fight wrapped up. Garry has envisioned facing Prates in a rematch with the UFC Welterweight Championship on the line.
In order for Garry to see his vision through, he'll need to become just the second man to defeat Makhachev in pro MMA competition. The reigning 170-pound titleholder hasn't been beaten since suffering an upset knockout loss back in 2015. The hiccup didn't deter Makhachev, who eventually broke the record for the most successful UFC lightweight title defenses before he moved up.
Make sure to stick with BJPenn.com throughout fight week for the latest tidbits leading up to Friday's weigh-ins and fight night.
As we get closer to Saturday's UFC 330 card, what are you expecting in the first few minutes of Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry? Share your thoughts on how things could play out early in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
Top undefeated prospects collide in Noche UFC 4 featherweight bout
Luke Rockhold to face Joe Pyfer in wrestling match at RAF 13
Carlos Prates predicts big upset in UFC 330 headliner between Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry
Trending
-
MMA2 days agoBella Mir’s opponent revealed for DWCS headline bout
-
MMA2 days agoUFC veteran suffers brutal knockout in 35 seconds in final UFC fight
-
MMA2 days agoUFC Vegas 120 live blog: Mateusz Gamrot vs. Quillan Salkilld
-
MMA2 days agoQuillan Salkilld snatches rear-naked choke to finish Mateusz Gamrot in first round in UFC Vegas 120 main event
-
Boxing1 day agoNew World Champion Aims to Follow Canelo and Golovkin as Top Middleweight
-
Boxing1 day agoShakur Stevenson Challenges Devin Haney to Step Up Against KO Champion: You Have No Other Option
-
MMA2 days ago‘Quillan Salkilld is a MONSTER’: Pros react to shocking UFC Vegas 120 submission
-
MMA1 day agoQuillan Salkilld reveals he may have suffered knee injury in win over Mateusz Gamrot: ‘I heard a little pop’


