"Little Bellator tick" - Dana White sprints to intervene as Conor McGregor attacks Michael Chandler with a nose break threat
Tensions flared between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler, the two rival coaches of The Ultimate Fighter Season 31, on the latest episode of the American reality television series. The rivalry between McGregor and Chandler escalated in the sixth episode, leading to a heated altercation.
Conor McGregor's coaching stint on TUF has been marred by disappointment as his team's winless streak extended to 6-0 in the recent episode. Lee Hammond, a longtime teammate of the Irishman and a highly touted prospect, suffered a shocking defeat against Kurt Hollobaugh.
I dominated the whole fight vs a strong tough fighter, made a small error and got caught unfortunately
In MMA there’s no space for errors but this is an excellent learning experience early in my young carreer!
I’m ready to right the wrongs, sign with the ufc and begin working… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/fw4jiqzGQN
Despite dominating the fight initially, the tide shifted dramatically as Hammond succumbed to a crushing guillotine choke submission at the hands of Hollobaugh. This setback has only added to McGregor's frustration as he strives to secure his first victory in the ongoing season.
In the aftermath of his team member's triumph, Chandler attempted to get under Conor McGregor's skin by reminding the Irishman about his team's success in the ongoing TUF season. 'The Notorious' fired back, claiming that some of the competitors in Chandler's team have competed under the UFC banner way before 'Iron's arrival.
The heated exchange culminated in a fiery altercation that concluded with Conor McGregor shoving Chandler in the face. McGregor could also be heard saying:
"I'll show up and break your nose you little fool. You little Bellator tick. You won't do nothing."
Check out the video below:
Things hit a boiling point between the coaches tonight on #TUF31 🤬
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Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler: 'Iron' breaks down explosive altercation with Conor McGregor
Michael Chandler, who got into an altercation with Conor McGregor on a recent episode of TUF, opened up about the incident on his YouTube channel.
Chandler emphasized that McGregor was visibly frustrated following his protege Lee Hammond's loss. The 37-year-old revealed that while UFC president Dana White and other team members quickly jumped in to diffuse the situation, there was a genuine possibility of a full-blown altercation. Chandler stated:
“I can tell you this: Dude was ticked off. Like, he was definitely mad. Because you’ve got to remember too, it wasn’t just between him and I, it was between him and Lee Hammond. It was his sights set so high on his star pupil about to win the fight… and it all happened so fast too. He legitimately went from shaking hands with Kurt Holobaugh straight to ‘These dudes were in the UFC before you were."
Chandler added:
"That was kind of when we got in each other’s face. What did he say? ‘Some of these guys were in the UFC before you.’ Well, duh, I don’t care. I would have gotten in the UFC three years ago. As long as you show up, I can’t wait to break your face, basically. He said, ‘I’ll break your nose, you little Bellator tick."
Michael Chandler breaks down getting shoved in the face by Conor McGregor: ‘Dude was ticked off’ mmafighting.com/2023/7/5/23784… https://t.co/xCohbEhZqp
While McGregor and Chandler were expected to face each other following the conclusion of TUF, the Irishman's eligibility to compete is in question due to his absence from the USADA testing pool and ongoing sexual assault allegations. Despite the ongoing drama, Chandler is optimistic that the fight against McGregor will come to fruition eventually.