Michael Chandler finally returned from a two-year layoff after it became clear that he wasn’t going to fight Conor McGregor any time soon — if ever — so he booked a rematch against Charles Oliveira with hopes that a win could vault him back into title contention.
Sadly, things didn’t go Chandler’s way after he ultimately lost a lopsided decision despite a late comeback attempt in the fifth and final round. The loss dropped him to 1-4 in his past five fights but don’t expect former opponent Brent Primus to root for Chandler to turn things around.
Primus’ disdain for Chandler is well documented after they fought twice under the Bellator banner and while both have moved on with their careers, it doesn’t mean the past rivalry just ends because they aren’t fighting in the same organization any longer.
“Man, he looked like crap in his last fight,” Primus said about Chandler’s loss when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I could not believe that. I think Chandler looked like crap. His footwork, he was falling everywhere. He was throwing his right hand like he was throwing a baseball. I was not impressed with his performance. His callout was kind of cringey.
“I don’t like that guy. I think Chandler, he’s a cheater. I feel like he’s a dirty fighter. I just don’t like that guy at all. Watching Oliveira pick him apart like that it was kind of fun to see for sure. I liked it.”
Falling to Oliveira isn’t exactly a bad loss but Primus says his criticism aimed at Chandler is more about how he actually looked in the fight.
Whether it was game plan, execution or perhaps just returning from an extended layoff, Primus believes Chandler just lost a step when he faced off with Oliveira at UFC 309.
“There was one or two rounds that could have been 10-8 rounds,” Primus said. “Chandler, that’s what happens when you take two years off waiting for somebody. You could totally tell the ring rust in him and I just think he looked like crap. His feet weren’t underneath him, he was kind of falling everywhere. He tripped on the cage. He wasn’t setting up his punches. He was telegraphing them. He looked like he was throwing a baseball.
“It was kind of an embarrassing performance from Chandler. You sit out for two years and wait for somebody, that’s what happens.”
Primus won’t deny that at his absolute best Chandler was a forced to be reckoned with but he just doesn’t see that same level of fighter any longer.
It’s also safe to say Primus just doesn’t think much of Chandler personally or professionally so even if he was victorious, there’s little chance he would have celebrated that win.
“That guy’s such a cheating little punk,” Primus said. “I can’t stand that guy. I heard Dustin Poirier say he doesn’t want to fight him because he’s just a dirty cheater. Putting his fingers in his eyes and blowing blood in his eyes. Chandler definitely was a good fighter and still probably is but he looked like he had a lot of ring rust in him.
“I just think he’s a dirty cheater. Just a dirty cheater guy and if he’s not going to win or have his way, he’s going to make up excuses and try to cheat. I was pretty happy to see Oliveira pick him apart like that. Oliveira’s the man.”
With Chandler in the UFC and Primus about to compete for the $1 million prize in the finals of the 2024 PFL season on Friday, there’s very little chance these two ever cross paths again.
Primus admits Chandler is the one that got away before they could meet for a third time.
“After we fought in Hawaii and he won the belt back from me in that decision win. I was in the back and my manager said ‘Bellator wants to know if you want to fight him again, they want a third fight,’” Primus revealed. “I was like hell yeah, let’s go. Let’s do this.
“It never happened. He went to the UFC shortly after that but that’s one fight I would definitely take for sure.”
As far as his own career goes, Primus has long since moved on from the Chandler fight and he’s got a chance to make life-changing money when he competes on Friday. If all goes well, Primus hopes to leave Saudi Arabia with a PFL title belt, a seven-figure paycheck and some assurances that he could potentially have another rematch awaiting him in the future.
In January, Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov defends his title against Paul Hughes in an event taking place in Dubai. Primus has history with Nurmagomedov after suffering a loss to him back in 2023 but the result was overturned after the undefeated Russian tested positive for a banned substance.
Primus wanted to win the PFL title and then just immediately shift gear for a rematch against Nurmagomedov but if he has to wait a little longer to make that happen, so be it.
“I want that fight again,” Primus said about Nurmagomedov. “I would love to fight Usman. This [fight against Paul Hughes] was kind of a surprise. This is Paul’s [third] fight with Bellator and he’s getting a title fight. I know he beat up A.J. [McKee], which is a tough guy, so I was surprised and a little disappointed.
“But at the same time, it’s just motivation for me. I’m going to go win this title, win this million dollars, if they want me to fight the winner of that fight, I’m all there and I’d be happy to. I’ll be excited to for sure.”
