The person most affected by Conor McGregor‘s absence from the octagon is #6 ranked lightweight contender, Michael Chandler. He has been waiting for McGregor to become a potential opponent for his ‘Red Panty Night.’ However, Chandler’s prolonged wait has made him a target for his rivals. Islam Makhachev, for example, has labeled him ‘Hachiko,’ while Dustin Poirier later attacked Chandler, claiming he is not ”one of us.” This verbal feud led to a series of social media posts. Recently, Michael Chandler reignited the controversy with a cryptic social media post targeting Dustin Poirier.

Recently, Michael Chandler retweeted a clip posted by the MMA-oriented page “The Underrated MMA Tribal Chief,” showcasing his UFC 257 fight against Dan Hooker. In that fight, Chandler delivered a stunning performance and knockout against the then-highly ranked fighter, Dan Hooker. The caption read, “KO of the #5 ranked guy who had just went 25 min with the #2 ranked guy in a FOTN…but I ain’t done nothing…”

You might be wondering how this is a jab at Dustin Poirier. Before fighting Chandler, Hooker had faced the then-ranked #2 Dustin Poirier, who defeated Hooker in a tough, nearly five-round battle still remembered for its brutal 25 minutes. Chandler wanted to highlight that he defeated finished Hooker by knockout in just one round, where Poirier needed five rounds to get the unanimous win.

Dan Hooker recently returned to the octagon after a notable absence, where he faced Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305 event in Perth, Australia. Thanks to his best friend Israel Adesanya’s negotiation skills, Hooker secured a spot on the same card. After the fight, Dan Hooker gained more attention not just because of his performance but also because of his attempt to snatch Michael Chandler’s ‘Red Panty Night.’

Dan Hooker threatened Michael Chandler’s dream

Since 2022, after fighting Dustin Poirier at UFC 281, Chandler went on to coach on UFC TUF 31, where he was paired against Conor Mcgregor. This rivalry laid the foundation for their potential fight. More than 18 months have passed since then, but the Chandler-McGregor fight has yet to materialize and the 38-year-old is still waiting.

His anticipation was heightened when New Zealand sensation Dan Hooker, after winning a fight following a year-long absence, called out Conor McGregor in his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier. Hooker said, “I don’t think I fought that well but you get in a fight, you get your hand raised, that’s all that counts. I’m tougher than old leather. I know I can walk down any man in this world, I want them all, want the BMF. I want Conor McGregor, want a title eliminator.”

Certainly, with this cryptic post, Micahel Chandler took jibes at both Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker. What are your thoughts about the same? Let us know in the comments below.

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