UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev got his shot at gold in 2022, but he wasn’t pleased to have been usurped by a promotional newcomer the year before.
Makhachev long complained of those highly ranked at 155 pounds avoiding him amid the win streak that ultimately catapulted him to the top. And his frustration was compounded by Chandler’s arrival.
The former three-time Bellator titleholder debuted in January 2021 by quickly stopping Dan Hooker. That sole result was enough to secure Chandler a title shot, which he lost in dramatic fashion against Charles Oliveira.
During a recent interview uploaded to Demetrious Johnson’s YouTube channel, Makhachev looked back on his feelings toward his journey up the ladder, reiterating his fury at seeing others rewarded before him despite doing less.
“We don’t have some easy way. Somebody can jump from like — like Michael Chandler, he jump from Bellator, one fight, he beat Dan Hooker, fight for the title,” Makhachev said. “For me, it’s not working. … Of course it makes me upset, you know, when somebody jump and fight for the belt before me.
“I had a long way. I fought like how many years but somebody come and beat one guy who is not like, top,” Makhachev added.
Things have ultimately worked out better for Makhachev, who defeated Oliveira to capture the title in 2022 and has since defended it successfully three times at the expense of Alexander Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier.
Chandler, meanwhile, has won just a single fight since his debut triumph over Hooker. That came over Tony Ferguson, while his four UFC defeats came at the hands of “Do Bronx” twice, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje.
