With Michael Chandler back in action for the second time since waiting for Conor McGregor for nearly a year and half, talks about him being a cheater have resurfaced. To provide some context, moves like fish-hooking Dustin Poirier in a submission attempt, and hitting Charles Oliveira at the back of the head, are a few instances of ‘Iron’ Mike playing it dirty. And now, with the latest update from the Highridge, Missouri native, fans are accusing him of something else altogether.

Not too long ago, the Nashville, Tennessee resident revealed that he currently has only 5% of body fat. He showed off his ripped physique and said, “Alright guys, we’re getting down the fight week. And getting down sub 5% body fat. So, it’s about time for you guys to start making all the accusations, speculating about the stack that I’m on.” And the fighting community? Well, they’ve been claiming that he’s on performance-enhancing substances. It’s almost as if Michael Chandler gave them the fodder to make that accusation against him.

Fight Riddle shared the visuals on their Instagram page and captioned it, “Michael Chandler claims he’s at 5% body fat-Is this even possible, or is he exaggerating?” Well, a healthy body fat percentage for men lies around 10-30%. Getting to 5% or below isn’t an impossible feat. Several bodybuilders and extreme athletes have achieved this feat. But maintaining the percentage is unsustainable. While it may contribute to aesthetics, severely low essential fats can lead to brittle bones and damage to the nervous system. 

Secondly, measuring one’s own body fat percentage can lead to inaccurate results. If the claims aren’t backed by laboratory reports, it’s difficult to verify the authenticity of such claims. With the accusations of cheating in fights, it might be a bit difficult to convince audiences that anything you say truly comes from an authentic place. But how exactly did Michael Chandler respond to the claims of him being a cheater? Surely, with mounting criticism and accusations, it must be hard for someone like Michael Chandler to stay quiet for too long, right? That’s correct.

Michael Chandler responds to the ‘cheater’ tag

‘Iron’ Mike recently appeared in an interview with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck. Therein, he opened up on the accusations of cheating. The former Bellator FC lightweight champion claimed that people didn’t really know who he was in reality. He reflected on the netizens’ beliefs that he was a good guy in front of the camera and a shady one behind it. And the accusations? He simply rejected them all. 

Chandler said, “You’re always going to have those accusations, right? But I know who I am, and I know who I am at my core; I’m a guy who tries to do things right, tries to treat people right, do things with honor and respect. So the cheating narrative is a little tough for me, but also, it’s all part of the court of public opinion.”

But what about his ripped physique? Well, there’s no doubt that he’s been jacked for quite some time now. His Instagram profile is proof of that. With a healthy, low-fat, and high-protein diet, paired with intense workout routines, he was likely able to get to this physique. The question is—will this physique help him at UFC 314 against Paddy Pimblett? That remains to be seen. 

Do you think Chandler is cheating ahead of UFC 314? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.