Michael Chandler exclusive: “We might see President McGregor before McGregor- Chandler”

Michael Chandler – one of UFC’s most ferocious lightweights is set to face Paddy Pimblett in the co-main event of UFC 314 on the 13th of April.

In our chat with him, he reacted to Conor McGregor’s meeting at the White House, he detailed the harsh commitments he is putting himself through to face Paddy- even missing the birth of his daughter on March 31st and sparring Kamaru Usman.

He also suggested Paddy’s stamina will be the downfall in their fight.

Speaking to Covers.com, Chandler said: 

• We may get President McGregor before McGregor vs Chandler
• I may miss the birth of my daughter to KO Paddy Pimblett
• Kamaru Usman is the ultimate sparring partner – our spars are ‘pay-per-view worthy’
• Pimblett’s ballooning between fights will be his downfall – he can’t last in deep waters 
• After I ‘starch’ Pimblett I’ll be ready for Islam in June
• Dana White will make boxing great again
• I could drug test every day of my life and people will still say I have Dana White privilege

Michael Chandler: We might see President McGregor before McGregor- Chandler, It’s highly likely I’ll miss birth of my daughter for Paddy fight, After I ‘starch’ Pimblett I’ll be ready for Islam in June

We may get President McGregor before McGregor vs Chandler

“It makes sense [for McGregor to share a platform with Trump]. Love him or hate him, Conor is one of the biggest Irish stars, if not the biggest Irish star on the planet. 

“Having that representative, whether you think he’s a great representative of Ireland or not, he’s still a large name that holds weight. 

“To go there on St. Paddy’s Day to meet with Trump to convey the struggles that Ireland is going through, and some of the cracks in the Irish Government that Conor’s talking about, plus kind of teasing the Irish Presidency that he’s talked about over the last little while–it’s very interesting. 

“We might get President McGregor before we get Chandler versus McGregor. If that happens, I don’t think he’s going to fight at all.

“I think Conor would love that position of power. He would love that position of celebrity. It’s a new mountain that he can climb, and if he does it’ll be very interesting. I’ll be watching.”

‘It’s highly likely’ I’ll miss the birth of my daughter on March 31st to prepare for Paddy Pimblett

I have a daughter being born March 31, which is very, very interesting. It still remains to be seen if I’m going to be able to make it to her birth because it’s 12 days before the fight.

“It’s not here in Florida. I’d have to fly and do all kinds of stuff, sleep in a hotel, so there’s the extra pressure of that. The extra pressures of my wife being a working single mom to two boys right now, plus our third baby on the way two weeks before the fight, so it’s a crazy time.”

“I think at this time, at this point, it’s more than likely [i’ll miss the birth]. It’s one of those things where I’m laser focused and I’ve got the most supportive wife on the planet who’s just like, ‘Hey, listen, your number one job is to provide for and lead and protect our family, and if that means not being there, so be it. I can handle it’, so I’ve got her blessing.’

Paddy Pimblett calling out McGregor is a smart business move

“Anybody who says Conor’s name at any given time is a good business move. Obviously, they’re both UK and Ireland guys, Liverpool and Ireland. It makes sense. 

“They’re from the same part of the world, with that being said. I’m going to do my job on April 12 and then I’ll call out Conor again, and we’ll see if he ever comes back.

“I’ve got a lot of critics and a lot of people who have made fun of the whole process, who are still gonna buy the pay per view, or show up in person at T-Mobile Arena, or wherever it is, so that doesn’t really matter. All I know is, I want to see Conor be a man of his word.”

Kamaru Usman is the ultimate sparring partner – our spars are ‘pay-per-view worthy’

“I’m moving like I did last camp. I am landing big punches like I did last camp. I picked up right where I left off from last camp, and I feel phenomenal. I’m firing on all cylinders, sparring with world Champ Kamaru Usman this morning, five rounds straight. 

“I’ve got sparring partners who I work with on movements, distance, timing, and I’ve got my sparring partners that I’m just straight up dog fighting. Kamaru Usman is a guy who’s kind of in between. 

“Some rounds get a little heated, some rounds get a little–I’m going to try to dominate you then you’re going to try to dominate me–we’re going to be safe, and we’re not going to try to hurt each other because he’s got a lot of money and legacy on the line. 

“I got a lot of money and legacy on the line, and we’re friends, but he’s just so skilled, and when he turns it on, he turns it on, and you have to fight for your life, and his defense is solid. His wrestling is solid. His jujitsu is solid.  It was definitely a pay-per-view worthy spar this morning. People would have paid money to watch me and Usman go at it.

Paddy Pimblett’s ballooning between fights will be his downfall – he can’t last in deep waters 

MC: “This is a five round fight. This is 25 minutes. He faded big time in the Tony Ferguson fight and faded big time in the Jared Gordon fight, a lot of people thought he lost that fight.

“In the dark, dark depths and crevices of those championship rounds is where the question has to be answered. “Did I do enough and have I been living the championship lifestyle?” 

“The question will get answered: “Can you swim in the deep waters”, and we’ll find out if he can. If he makes it to the third round, or the fourth round, or the fifth round, will he sink, or will he swim?

“I’ve been in those championship rounds. I have fought with the best of them. He has fought and faded against much lesser competition.”

Paddy’s love for pizza and beer won’t see him past 15 minutes of the fight

“Yeah, I do [think Paddy’s lifestyle could affect his stamina]. Before Paddy was an opponent, I was the veteran guy who told Paddy, cordially, as a colleague:

 “I know it feels great to eat the pizza and drink the beer and get up to 210 pounds with 30% body fat. But the body does not hold up that well when you’re doing that.

“The weight cutting that we do, the rigors of training, the getting beat up in these fights is bad enough, let alone your insulin resistance going through the roof, looking like you’re pre-diabetic between fights. It’s not a good thing, 

“But as I said, those questions [over his stamina] will get answered after that 15 minute mark.”

Topuria, Gaethje, Tsarukyan and Islam Makhachev are on the hit list

“All of those names are on the table; Topuria, Gaethje, Arman, freaking Islam. There’s a world in which I go out there and emphatically starch Paddy Pimblett. And it’s the ‘what have you done for me lately business’. 

“And all of a sudden Islam wants to fight me and not someone else, and I fight him in June. Who knows? But with that being said, all of those names are on the table. Conor’s name was talked about. If Conor comes back this year I’m fighting him.”

“I am open to fighting Islam in June. The way this fight plays out I think I’ll have less than a 60 day suspension, maybe a 30 day suspension, and I could fight again in June because the fight would be June 29 I believe it is. So that’s like ten weeks later, so I could jump right back into a training camp and fight for the world title.”

I would love to rematch Paddy in Anfield

“I ain’t scared. I would love it, man. I’ve been over to England, and I’ve always had a blast there, so I would love to. I would love to go out there. I would get absolutely booed out of the place, but it would be fun.”

Dana White will make boxing great again

“I think Dana White is one of the greatest business minds on the entire planet. And it just so happens that he’s built the biggest combat sports franchise on the entire planet, so adding boxing makes a lot of sense. 

“Whatever Dana puts his mind to, puts his hand to, puts his name on, turns to gold. I think Dana’s gonna make boxing great again.”

I could drug test every day of my life and people will still say I have Dana White privilege

“It’s mainly water off a duck’s back, because, unfortunately, there’s no way to ever prove it, right? I could get drug tested every single day for the rest of my career, and people will still claim that I’ve got ‘Dana White Privilege’ and ‘Dana is in charge of the drug testing’, and they can just sweep them under the rug, or they can dilute them or they can. 

“I’ve heard all of the different things. It is what it is. I know that I know the truth. My family knows the truth, my God knows the truth, and that’s really all that matters.”