"False value of contention" - Fans poke fun at Michael Chandler for accepting Paddy Pimblett fight after years of waiting for Conor McGregor

Michael Chandler now faces widespread fan criticism after accepting a bout against Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314, a far cry from his long-awaited clash with Conor McGregor. UFC CEO Dana White recently announced the five-round co-main event set for April 12 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

Pimblett, who is undefeated in the UFC, is set for a step up in competition. Meanwhile, Chandler, once scheduled to fight McGregor following their coaching roles on 'The Ultimate Fighter,' saw the matchup get scrapped after his Irish counterpart’s foot injury.

Frustrated, Chandler then faced former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 in November 2024, losing by unanimous decision, a major blow to his championship aspirations.

Social media erupted after the Chandler vs. Pimblett bout was announced, with fans mocking the American. One fan wrote:

“Now beating chandler will continue to have a false value of contention all because they keep Mike in hopes of conor coming around"

Others commented:

“Everyone including Conor knew Chandler was never getting that fight.”

“Chandler went from potentially fighting Conor to fighting Pimblett. 😭😭😭”

Check out some of the fan reactions below:

Fans react to Michael Chandler vs Paddy Pimblett matchup. [Screenshot courtesy: X]

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Aside from Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett, what other fights were announced for UFC 314?

Scheduled to take place in Miami, UFC 314 promises an electrifying night of high-stakes bouts as the featherweight division undergoes a dramatic transformation. Ilia Topuria vacated his title, setting the stage for Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes to contest the vacant championship.

Beyond the aforementioned Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett bout for the co-main event, Bellator legend Patricio Pitbull will make his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez. The fight card also features exciting matchups like Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates and Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes. Other notable matchups include Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson, Virna Jandiroba vs. Yan Xiaonan, and Chase Hooper vs. Jim Miller.

Check out the UFC 314 fight card below:

• Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes – For vacant featherweight title
• Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett – Five-round co-main event
• Patricio Freire vs. Yair Rodriguez
• Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates
• Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes
• Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson
• Virna Jandiroba vs. Yan Xiaonan
• Chase Hooper vs. Jim Miller
• Alberto Montes vs. Roberto Romero
• Su Mudaerji vs. Mitch Raposo
• Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa
• Sedriques Dumas vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk