Michael Chandler: ‘I live rent-free’ in Dustin Poirier’s head after ‘cheater’ comments

Michael Chandler is over Dustin Poirier, but he doesn’t believe Poirier feels the same.

Recently, Poirier was a guest on Outta Pocket With RGIII and blasted Chandler for being fake and a cheater after their UFC 281 matchup in November 2022, where Poirier submitted Chandler in the third round. Poirier called Chandler out for blowing blood in his eyes, and sticking his fingers in the former interim lightweight champion’s mouth.

In an interview with Zach Gelb, Chandler was asked for a reaction to Poirier’s comments.

“I don’t [have a reaction], and I don’t lose a wink of sleep thinking about Dustin Poirier and how he thinks about me,” Chandler said. “Unfortunately, obviously I live rent-free in his head, and he does lose sleep over me so I don’t think about it.”

Chandler is scheduled to face Paddy Pimblett in the five-round co-main event of UFC 314 for the promotion’s return to Miami in April.

Poirier has teased one last fight with hopes the UFC will head back to New Orleans in his home state of Louisiana. If Chandler gets the call to fight Poirier after he battles Pimblett, he’d gladly run it back with Poirier for one specific reason.

“I’ll tell you what, man, I would definitely welcome me being Dustin’s retirement fight,” Chandler said. “He’s a legend — and I say that because he’s a legend. It’s not like I want to get back the loss, or it’s not because I have any kind of animosity. I don’t want to fight him because of the disagreements that we’ve had, I just want to fight him because he’s a legend, and I would.

“So we’ll see. I’ll heal up after April after I starch Paddy Pimblett, and he’s talking about fighting in July, August. I wouldn’t mind going to New Orleans at that time of year. Either way, I’m coming to fight. I’m going to be there for his retirement fight out of respect, but I wouldn’t mind stepping in the octagon with him. We’ll see.”