UFC's hidden message for Michael Chandler, Dana White talks botching a billion-dollar deal, Alex Pereira rekindles old beef: MMA News Roundup

A veteran MMA fighter says that UFC may have a hidden message for Michael Chandler that he's missing out on. Meanwhile, Alex Pereira rekindles a beef from his Glory Kickboxing era.

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UFC could be sending Michael Chandler a hint

Michael Chandler should take the hint and move on from the Conor McGregor fight, says Chael Sonnen.

Chandler recently revealed on X that he has been offered to fight Islam Makhachev for the lightweight belt in October. However, he has still kept his eye on the prize - a potentially massive paycheck for fighting the Irishman.

In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen suggested that Chandler getting a shot at the title could be UFC's subtle way of hinting that he will never get the chance to fight 'The Notorious'.

He said:

"If Michael Chandler is offered to fight Islam Makhachev, there is a message being delivered to him that he has got to be able to hear. The words: 'We cannot get you Conor McGregor. We are not going to get you Conor McGregor. We are not going to rebook you and Conor McGregor.' Those words are not being used, but there is a number of reasons why they can't."

Watch Chael Sonnen's comments (2:00):

Should Michael Chandler wait for Conor McGregor again? Read our opinion here.

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Dana White once botched a billion-dollar CBS deal

Dana White recently shared a never-told-before tale about costing the UFC a billion-dollar deal with CBS. Speaking with Fox News, the UFC CEO recalled calling off a deal with HBO after it was signed and sealed because the company had started to interfere with the promotion's production process.

White then went on to reveal how a screaming match with CBS executives jeopardized another deal:

"So CBS tried to come in and make us an offer to buy us at one point, right? And I was in Hawaii on vacation... I was on the call early, and the Showtime guys were on the call early... Me and Showtime were fighting, going at it, literally, 'F-you, f-you,’ back and forth. And those guys [CBS] got on and heard us going back and forth, and the call, literally, that was the end of it."

He added:

"I hated the guys at Showtime. A bunch of those guys worked for the UFC when we first started out. I thought their production sucked... And then it just so happens, [that] we’re talking about CBS making us a billion-dollar offer to possibly buy the company. And by the time Lorenzo and Les Moonves [former CBS CEO] get on, full-blown war on the phone."

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Alex Pereira beefs with old foe, exposes Glory Kickboxing

Artem Vakhitov, the last person to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing, believes he can beat 'Poatan' in MMA if a trilogy fight is booked in the UFC. The two are tied 1-1 from the time they fought at Glory Kickboxing.

Vakhitov recently told MMA Fighting that Pereira's "biggest weakness" is his lack of defense and the only reason behind his success in MMA is the inadequate striking skills of his opponents.

"These other guys haven’t done well against Alex because their striking isn’t at a high enough level. They aren’t confident against him and they think he’s unbeatable, so in their heart, they are already defeated before the fight starts. But I have beaten him before in pure striking competition, and I am sure I’ll do it again if we can get our trilogy match in the UFC."

Pereira dismissed the notion in a response written in Instagram comments and even exposed Glory Kickboxing for pulling a Montreal Screwjob-type dirty trick on him:

"Hey brother, be careful with the people that are giving you this idea... Everybody knows that when they gave you the win it's because Glory knew that [that] would be my last fight in the organization and they didn't want me to leave with the belt!"

Read the full statement below: