Michael Chandler: 'I won't be vaccinated by Nov. 6' if UFC 268 bout with Justin Gaethje is in NYC

Michael Chandler has concerns about whether his fight with Justin Gaethje will go forward as planned if the UFC attempts to host it in New York.

Chandler (22-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and Gaethje (22-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) have agreed to a highly anticipated lightweight clash at UFC 268 on Nov. 6. Although not officially announced, the promotion hopes to have the event at Madison Square Garden in New York, as has become tradition in early November.

The looming issue, however, are the newly placed mandates in the state that require proof of vaccination for indoor dining, fitness and entertainment events. A UFC event would fall into the latter category, and that could prove problematic for Chandler.

Chandler, a former Bellator champion and UFC lightweight title challenger, said he’s currently not vaccinated. He said that won’t change by the time UFC 268 rolls around, so he questions whether he’ll be able to fight – or if the UFC will put on the event in that location at all.

“I just saw that New York is dropping some heavy mandates on the city of New York City,” Chandler said Wednesday on Instagram Live. “Basically, they’re requiring you to be vaccinated (and) show proof of vaccination for indoor dining, indoor fitness and indoor performances and entertainment. Obviously a UFC card, a UFC fight being thrown at Madison Square Garden is considered indoor entertainment and indoor performance. I will not be vaccinated at that point. I don’t know how many fighters, if I was to fight on that Nov. 6 card – or whoever is fighting on Nov. 6 at Madison Square Garden – I don’t know how many fighters will be vaccinated. I don’t really have a tally on who is or isn’t.

“It’s not that I’m anti-vax. It’s not that I don’t believe in the vaccine, necessarily. I’m just not going to get the vaccine until it’s 100 percent FDA approved. We’ve had hundreds of clinical trials, just like we had the vaccines that my son has had – measles and chicken pox and all of the vaccines that have been around for 100 years that have been proven. We shall see. I don’t know what’s going to happen. More than anything, the chances of the UFC being able to sell out Madison Square Garden with only people that are vaccinated really cuts down their ability to sell out Madison Square Garden. So I don’t really know. I think it calls into question if Madison Square Garden will actually happen, to be honest with you guys. The UFC is brilliant and geniuses at putting things together and putting their fights together. But as I said, I’m not anti-vaccine. I think vaccines are effective. I think it’s everybody’s choice whether they want to take the vaccine. I won’t be vaccinated by Nov. 6, so I won’t be able to perform or entertain at Madison Square Garden. So we shall see.”

Chandler is coming off a title-fight loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 in May. He was winning the fight in the first round before Oliveira turned the tables and secured a TKO in the second round to claim the belt.

The goal for Chandler is still to get the UFC title around his waist, and a matchup with former WSOF titleholder and former interim UFC champion Gaethje would be a big step in getting him back in that spot.

However, now there appears to be some uncertainty around the fight and event as a whole.