"I do think I got a screw loose" - Michael Chandler discusses who is 'crazier' between him and Justin Gaethje
Michael Chandler believes he can be as crazy as Justin Gaethje ahead of their UFC 268 lightweight title eliminator next month.
The two 155-pound contenders will face off in New York City and the winner is likely to face the winner of the UFC 269 main event between champion Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier next year.
During a recent conversation with MMA reporter Brett Okamoto, Chandler claimed he would take Gaethje to the limits, both physically and mentally.
"I think we've seen a maturation process after the couple of knockouts he's suffered. He's been more of a calculated, composed, smart and sharp fighter. However, I think a lot of people think Justin Gaethje is a lot crazier than I am. Just because I'm maybe a little bit more buttoned up or maybe I give a decent interview or maybe I'm newer to the mainstream, they think this guy is crazy and this guy over here must not be. I want it to be known like we're going to fight fire with fire. I think he has seen his equal... I do think I'm crazy. I do think I got a screw loose and we're gonna see that on November 6th. He's the perfect guy to bring that out of me," said Chandler.
Watch Michael Chandler in conversation with Brett Okamoto below:
Michael Chandler is a former three-time Bellator lightweight champion
Michael Chandler has won the Bellator lightweight championship three times in the past. He won the title for the first time as a 25-year-old, beating former UFC 155-pound champ Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 58 in November 2011.
After two successful defenses against Rick Hawn and David Rickels, Chandler dropped the belt back to Alvarez at Bellator 106 in November 2013.
Michael Chandler Shuts Out Brent Primus to Become Three-Time Bellator MMA Champion bit.ly/2ElHQEJ via @MikeSloan19 #Bellator212 https://t.co/mfOVrDgpuO
'Iron' won the Bellator lightweight championship for a second time at Bellator 165 in June 2016, this time knocking out Patricky Freire to claim the vacant belt.
After a third successful title defense against another former UFC lightweight champ, Benson Henderson, Michael Chandler lost the gold to Brent Primus at Bellator NYC.
Chandler overcame Primus to win back the belt yet again in December 2018. He dropped it one last time at Bellator 221 to Patricky's brother Patricio Freire.