Arman Tsarukyan has called out Michael Chandler by insisting his upcoming fight against Conor McGregor is dead in the water.
Tsarukyan, 26, picked up his latest UFC win by knocking out Joaquim Silva last weekend and he wants to fight a top-ranked lightweight contender in his next bout. The Armenian thinks McGregor will not fight Chandler at the end of this year because of his lack of training footage online, so he wants to replace the Irishman and face Chandler instead.
“If you want to ask me, for sure I want to fight with Michael Chandler because it looks like his fight with Conor McGregor is over. He's got to fight with someone and I am here. I have a good win streak and let’s do this fight because I’m the youngest guy in the top 15. He’s the older one. I think for fans it’s good when new generation fights with the older generation.”
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McGregor has remained adamant he will fight Chandler at the end of the year, despite being yet to re-enrol in USADA's testing pool which requires him to complete six months of mandatory drug testing before fighting again. The Irishman is currently being investigated by Miami Police Department for an alleged sexual assault, an accusation McGregor has vehemently denied.
Tsarukyan believes McGregor is caught up in his luxurious lifestyle and is far from the fighter he once was, adding: "I saw what McGregor is doing, relaxing on his yacht and drinking. Going to the beach. I am training like a crazy guy living in the gym, training like two or three times a day. I don't think he is going to fight.
Former Bellator MMA champion Chandler has been calling for a fight against McGregor since making his UFC debut over two years ago. Chandler rubbished theories that he and McGregor won't fight by telling Barstool Sports: “USADA testing, Conor’s leg, Conor’s partying, all these different things that people are talking about because people are so interested in him as a character outside of the octagon and also the fighter inside the octagon.
“Ultimately, I’ve been in contact with the UFC, Hunter Campbell and Dana White. Both personally. The fight is happening. We don’t, they don’t even have certain big pay-per-views necessarily announced yet. So if you expect our fight maybe November, December, or whatever it may be to be announced already. I think it’s a tough ask right now. We’re still sitting in June.”
