"We all have a choice" - Michael Chandler says he will not get vaccinated despite FDA's full approval of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Michael Chandler has made it clear that he will not get vaccinated even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 shots.

Earlier this month, the 35-year-old had stated that he would not get the vaccine until "it’s 100 percent FDA approved" (as per MMA Fighting).

Now that the Pfizer-BioNTech shot has received a green light from the FDA, a number of fans on Twitter asked Chandler if he would be willing to get vaccinated.

Doubling down on his previous comments, 'Iron' revealed that he has no intentions of getting the jab, regardless of the 100 percent FDA approval.

"I don’t want it. FDA approval or not. Real enough for you? I have no problem with people getting it. We all have a choice...this is mine," Michael Chandler responded to a fan.

I don’t want it. FDA approval or not. Real enough for you? I have no problem with people getting it. We all have a choice...this is mine.

— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) August 23, 2021

When one user noted that Chandler might be retracting his earlier statement, the MMA star said a full FDA approval of a COVID-19 shot wasn't the "sole reason" that would have forced him to get vaccinated.

No I didn’t. I stated it as a reason...but not the sole reason

— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) August 23, 2021

According to MMA Fighting, Chandler said the following on his Instagram live on August 5, 2021:

"It’s not that I’m anti-vax. It’s not that I don’t believe in the vaccine, necessarily. I’m just not going to get the vaccine until it’s 100 percent FDA approved. We’ve had hundreds of clinical trials, just like we had the vaccines that my son has had – measles and chicken pox and all of the vaccines that have been around for 100 years that have been proven. We shall see. I don’t know what’s going to happen."

Is Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje fight at risk?

Michael Chandler is expected to take on Justin Gaethje at UFC 268 on November 6, 2021.

The state of New York, where UFC 268 is rumored to take place, has mandated COVID-19 vaccine for individuals who enter restaurants, gyms, and indoor entertainment venues. This puts the instrumental lightweight clash between Chandler and Gaethje at grave risk since the former doesn't plan on getting vaccinated.

However, Michael Chandler is confident that his fight will go as scheduled. The former Bellator champion's last outing was against Charles Oliveira at UFC 262, where he got finished in the second round.

Haha...I’m not getting it AND I’m fighting gaethje...best of both worlds.

— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) August 23, 2021