Michael Chandler accuses Justin Gaethje of receiving same amount of ‘Dana White privilege’ as him ahead of UFC 268 fight
MICHAEL CHANDLER has slammed Justin Gaethje’s suggestion he’s been given preferential treatment from the UFC – insisting his rival has received plenty of ‘Dana White privilege’.
The lightweight titans will collide early on Sunday morning on a stacked UFC 268 card in Madison Square Garden.
Gaethje goes into the 155lb barnburner with an axe to grind following Chandler’s ill-fated crack at lightweight gold in May.
The Highlight believes Chandler was the beneficiary of special treatment from the UFC brass, a notion Iron has emphatically dismissed
He told MMA Fighting: “Justin Gaethje got the same amount of preferential treatment.
“The same amount of Dana White privilege. Whatever you want to call it.
“He came from outside the UFC, came in, got a top five guy right away. If he would have beat Eddie Alvarez, he would have gotten a title shot.
“He lost to Eddie Alvarez, which made him go fight a couple more fights.
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“He’s been in some big commercials. He’s been in big fights. He’s headlined cards. He and I have had very similar roads.
“I think he deserved it because he earned it.
“He probably in his heart of hearts believes that I deserved it and earned it but he needs to convince himself that I am seeking attention or I’m an attention seeker and I’m a fake and a phoney and whatever things he has said.
“More than anything, a guy who doesn’t deserve the treatment that I’ve gotten thus far but you’ll find the older you get and the longer you do things, those who ask and those who say yes to opportunities, usually end up making it further than those that don’t or those that fight the powers that be. I’m not here to fight the powers that be.
“I’m here to fight the guys that they put me up against and Justin Gaethje’s the next one. Whether he loves me, whether he hates me, I know he respects me.”
Gatheje vs Chandler has been billed the ‘People’s Main Event’ on account of their fan-friendly styles.
And former three-time Bellator 155lb champ Chandler is adamant fans won’t be disappointed by their eagerly-anticipated showdown.
He said of the match-up: “I think we’re both so similar.
“We both throw power punches. We both bite down on our mouthpiece.
“We’re not afraid to fight fire with fire and be in the fire. Either of us could get knocked out.
“Only thing we can guarantee — there will be violence. It will be exciting.
“Everyone in Madison Square Garden will be the beneficiary and everyone that buys the pay-per-view will be the beneficiary and we both get bonuses. That’s for sure.”
Gaethje, 32, is relishing the chance to catapult himself back into title contention with a statement-making victory over Chandler.
He told ESPN: “I’m gonna go out there and try and break this dude as fast as possible, as violently as possible.
“‘Most violent man’ and all that bullshit, doesn’t matter, I’m 22-3 with 19 knockouts, which one of those dudes can say that, which one of those dudes can say they got nine bonuses in their first seven fights, not one of them.
“The common denominator is gonna be me every single time. It’s the way I fight, it’s why they pay me so much money.”
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