Rafael dos Anjos slams Michael Chandler for refusing to take UFC Vegas 14 bout
Rafael dos Anjos had some less-than-kind words for newly-signed UFC lightweight Michael Chandler.
dos Anjos, the former UFC lightweight world champion, suddenly found himself without a fight this weekend after his scheduled UFC Vegas 14 opponent Islam Makhachev was forced to withdraw due to a staph infection.
This marks the second time that the dos-Anjos vs. Makhachev bout was scrapped, as it was initially slated for UFC 254, but dos Anjos had to pull out after testing positive for COVID-19.
dos Anjos isn’t looking to let his weekend go to waste however, as he’s called out for a fight with former Bellator champion Michael Chandler, who signed with the UFC earlier this year.
“I wish @MAKHACHEVMMA a speed recovery. Looking for a new partner to dance. Looks like @MikeChandlerMMA is ready to go. Your move!”
Chandler however, has said that he has ‘other plans’.
Now, it looks like the Chandler’s refusal isn’t sitting well with dos Anjos.
The Brazilian veteran again took to social media to voice his disappointment at the American UFC newcomer.
“If you don’t take a fight because you don’t have enough time to drop weight I get it but don’t tell me you have other plans. I became the champion of the BIGGEST organization fighting everyone they put in front of me. Shame on you,” dos Anjos tweeted.
Chandler responded by saying that he was never actually offered the fight against dos Anjos.
"I'll go ahead and assume that the above statement was directed at me. We do have other plans & we won't just abandon them out of the blue. Also, making weight this quick is impossible this soon after last cut. For the record...I was never offered this fight. @RdosAnjosMMA"
Chandler was recently on standby as a possible replacement fighter at UFC 254 back in October, just in case either UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov or challenger Justin Gaethje had to pull out.
The bout went through as planned however, with Nurmagomedov submitting Gaethje in the second round before announcing his retirement from MMA.
Because of Nurmagomedov's departure, Chandler is now being considered as a possible top contender for the 155-pound championship, alongside the likes of Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Tony Ferguson, and Conor McGregor.
Rafael dos Anjos looks to return to old ways at lightweight
Rafael dos Anjos' bout with Islam Makhachev was supposed to be his return to the division where he found the most success as a UFC fighter: the lightweight division.
dos Anjos made his UFC debut back in 2008 and immediately absorbed back-to-back losses to Jeremy Stephens and Tyson Griffin. He would salvage his UFC career by going 9-2 in his next eleven bouts, including wins over Donald Cerrone, Evan Dunham, and Mark Bocek.
A loss to the unstoppable Khabib Nurmagomedov set dos Anjos back a bit once again, but the Brazilian once again bounced back with victories over Jason High, former champion Benson Henderson, and Nate Diaz. The three-fight winning streak earned dos Anjos a shot at the UFC lightweight championship, then held by Anthony Pettis.
dos Anjos defeated Pettis via Unanimous Decision and went on to defend the title against Cerrone, before dropping it to Eddie Alvarez.
Following a loss to Tony Ferguson, dos Anjos made the move up to welterweight, and it initially paid off as he put together another three-fight winning streak with wins over Tarec Saffiedine, Neil Magny, and former champ Robbie Lawler. This brought dos Anjos closer once again to UFC gold, facing Colby Covington for the vacant UFC interim welterweight championship. dos Anjos wound up losing to Covington, and has since gone 1-3 at 170-pounds.