“Cheated like crazy in this fight” - Footage of Michael Chandler hitting Dustin Poirier with EIGHT consecutive illegal punches sparks huge fan debate

Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier went to war in the Fight of the Night at UFC 281 in November, 2022. 'The Diamond' walked away victorious after securing a second-round submission, in what was a thrilling contest.

Heading into UFC 281, Poirier was candid about his feelings towards Chandler, who felt that 'Iron' was not a genuine person. Following the fight, Dustin Poirier initially refused to shake Michael Chandler's hand, as 'The Diamond' felt that his opponent had used several dirty tactics during the fight.

He called the fighter out for fish-hooking his mouth when trying to secure a rear-naked choke, as well as for blowing his bloody snot all over 'The Diamond' during a sequence on the ground.

Footage was recently uploaded to X (formerly Twitter) of Michael Chandler landing eight consecutive illegal punches to the back of Dustin Poirier's head.

Referee Herb Dean tried to intervene at some point, but after allowing 'Iron' to continue using illegal strikes, he received an intense death stare from Poirier.

The footage sparked a massive debate among fans, with many calling Chandler out for his dirty tactics, whilst others questioned Poirier's decision to turn his head. See the reactions below:

"He cheated like crazy in this fight."

"And somehow people found a way to be annoyed at Dustin"

"Back of the head shots are one of the fouls that gets me the most mad bro"

"This s**t was so egregious"

"The way he glares at Herb lmao"

"Couple of them were legal ngl"

"Why is Dustin putting his head in that position?"

"Classic Chandler"

"I remember people being mad at Dustin for calling this out lol"

"Muscles and athleticism don't win fights. Exhibit A"

Screenshot of fan reactions to Chandler-Poirier footage

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Dana White is willing to offer Michael Chandler another fight ahead of Conor McGregor bout, if he wants it

After being announced as the respective coaches for season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler were expected to battle inside the octagon this year.

But their anticipated clash will now probably take place in 2024, with the exact reasons unclear. Although many believe it is connected to McGregor's delayed re-entry into the USADA testing pool.

Dana White provided an update on the potential clash between Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor after this week's edition of Dana White's Contender Series:

"Next year is when Conor is going to fight. Obviously, if Chandler gets antsy we'll figure something out. Chandler's got a bunch of money, he's hanging out with his family and when the time is right for the Conor fight, I'm sure that's the fight he wants."

Watch the video below: