Justin Gaethje has responded angrily to Michael Chandler’s claims that he has essentially ducked him three of four times since he joined the UFC from Bellator last year.
Chandler had suggested that a match-up with Gaethje was the fight to make given that they are two two former title challengers who are closely situated in the top 5 rankings, but his accusation that ‘The Highlight’ is avoiding him hasn’t gone down well.
“@MikeChandlerMMA is talking out of his ass,” Gaethje fired back on Twitter. “I was waiting for the bout agreement 3 weeks into camp and wake up to news his daddy Dana gave him the shot.
“He’s been out of commission since the KO. What am I missing? I’m on vacay and this fucker is slandering my name. 3-4 times? 🤦♂️”
Gaethje has been out of action since his submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov on Fight Island back in October of last year, and is known to have been left fuming that Chandler was given a shot at the vacant title against Charles Oliveira instead.
Before that disappointing defeat, Gaethje had been on top form as he rampaged through the UFC lightweight ranks on a four-fight winning streak that saw him KO James Vick and Eson Barboza, and then TKO both Donald Cerrone and Tony Ferguson.
Meanwhile, Chandler left Bellator last year after a KO win over Ben Henderson and then went on to TKO Dan Hooker in his UFC debut, before suffering a second round TKO loss to Oliveira in their title match-up.