Real or Fake? Michael Chandler spills if 'growing animosity' with Conor McGregor on TUF was scripted
The once-amicable rivalry between Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor has involved into a seemingly bitter feud over time, with altercations from a recent episode of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) intensifying the animosity between the two.
McGregor's second stint as a coach on TUF has been a rather disappointing one for the Irishman. Conor McGregor's team of prospects hasn't won a single fight in over six bouts in the season, while his rival coach Michael Chandler's team has enjoyed tremendous success so far.
Furthermore, McGregor's teammate Lee Hammond's setback has further fueled the Irishman's frustrations as he continues to fight for his first victory in the ongoing TUF season. In response to Michael Chandler's attempt to taunt McGregor about his team's success, the Irishman fired back, culminating with the former UFC two-division champion shoving Chandler in the face.
Conor McGregor pushing Michael Chandler https://t.co/Li95XlC2qH
Speaking about the growing animosity and the authenticity of the rivalry in a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Michael Chandler stated:
"It all happened so fast [the altercation] and I was pretty surprised at how quickly everybody [including UFC president Dana White] got in there. Because we went from 0 to 100 real quick. Everybody's like how much of this thing is scripted? There's nothing that was setup whatsoever."
Chandler added:
"We were there for five weeks. There was never a time when they asked us to say this or do this. It was more of a sports documentary than it was a reality show. And obviously you saw two dudes who have tons of respect for each other, but animosity is growing between each other."
Catch Michael Chandler's comments below (5:00):
Michael Chandler mocks Conor McGregor's "disproportionately small hands" in latest Twitter attack
The ongoing feud between Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor took another fiery turn as the American aimed a sharp barb at 'The Notorious', poking fun at his "disproportionately small hands".
While it was expected that the pair would clash in a blockbuster clash following the conclusion of TUF season 31, that idea seems far-fetched since McGregor hasn't re-entered the USADA testing pool yet.
Since their time as rival coaches on TUF, Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor's relationship has deteriorated, leading to an exchange of verbal jabs. In the latest episode of the ongoing rivalry, Chandler took a shot at McGregor's bloated appearance on Twitter, writing:
"I will say…I hadn’t spent a lot of time around Conor before the show…but that was the first thing I noticed - disproportionately small hands. Like the rest of his body, lots of inflammation and puffiness…but even with the puffiness…very small hands, like a newborn baby’s hands."
Check out Michael Chandler's tweets below:
I will say…I hadn’t spent a lot of time around Conor before the show…but that was the first thing I noticed - disproportionately small hands.
Like the rest of his body, lots of inflammation and puffiness…but even with the puffiness…very small hands, like a newborn baby’s hands.