Michael Chandler refuses to accept accusations of cheating in UFC Jakarta - Ahead of his fight against Paddy Pimblett at the Ultimate Fighting Championship 314, lightweight fighter Michael Chandler does not accept being accused of cheating by several parties when fighting at UFC. "I'm a guy who tries to do things right, tries to treat people right, does things with honor and respect. So, the narrative of cheating is hard to swallow," Michael Chandler said in a report on the MMA Fighting website monitored in Jakarta, Monday. Chandler has faced accusations from past opponents that he has tried hard to cheat during fights. Justin Gaethje claimed that “almost everything” Chandler did outside the rules during his fight was worth a point deduction, while Dustin Poirier routinely slammed the former Bellator champion for putting his finger in his mouth during their 2022 fight. Additionally, Chandler received allegations of cheating by throwing several punches to the back of Charles Oliveira's head during their fight in November 2024. The American fighter responded to the accusations against him as part of the court of public opinion but it was still difficult for him to accept. Many people, he continued, had a sneaky suspicion about him being nice on camera and bad off. "I mean, narrative is hard. People don't really know me. Unless you're in my inner circle, you don't know who I really am outside of the camera," she said. He explained that when fighting Poirier, he did hold his mouth because he thought it was his chin. According to him, many things happen in a fight. "Are you going to reach out and grab his neck? Are you going to put your fingers in your gloves? Yeah. Those things are going to happen in a fight," he said. In the fight against Charles Oliveira, he added, Oliviera dug his chin so deep into his eye socket that he thought he was going to go blind. Oliviera's action was illegal. "I would never say that Charles Oliveira is a cheater. His body reacts and does things without his brain telling him to. You're in a fight or flight state. Something's going to happen. So, it's a tough narrative," Chandler said.

Jakarta - Ahead of his fight against Paddy Pimblett at the Ultimate Fighting Championship 314, lightweight fighter Michael Chandler does not accept being accused of cheating by several parties when fighting at UFC.

"I'm a guy who tries to do things right, tries to treat people right, does things with honor and respect. So, the narrative of cheating is hard to swallow," Michael Chandler said in a report on the MMA Fighting website monitored in Jakarta, Monday.

Chandler has faced accusations from past opponents that he has tried hard to cheat during fights.

Justin Gaethje claimed that “almost everything” Chandler did outside the rules during his fight was worth a point deduction, while Dustin Poirier routinely slammed the former Bellator champion for putting his finger in his mouth during their 2022 fight.

Additionally, Chandler received allegations of cheating by throwing several punches to the back of Charles Oliveira's head during their fight in November 2024.

The American fighter responded to the accusations against him as part of the court of public opinion but it was still difficult for him to accept.

Many people, he continued, had a sneaky suspicion about him being nice on camera and bad off.

"I mean, narrative is hard. People don't really know me. Unless you're in my inner circle, you don't know who I really am outside of the camera," she said.

He explained that when fighting Poirier, he did hold his mouth because he thought it was his chin. According to him, many things happen in a fight.

"Are you going to reach out and grab his neck? Are you going to put your fingers in your gloves? Yeah. Those things are going to happen in a fight," he said.

In the fight against Charles Oliveira, he added, Oliviera dug his chin so deep into his eye socket that he thought he was going to go blind. Oliviera's action was illegal.

"I would never say that Charles Oliveira is a cheater. His body reacts and does things without his brain telling him to. You're in a fight or flight state. Something's going to happen. So, it's a tough narrative," Chandler said.