Scram! Gaethje (Not Chandler) Should Fight Mac

Michael Chandler was selected to coach against Conor McGregor on Season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), followed by a pay-per-view showdown to settle their reality TV score. But former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos recently joined a growing list of fighters who don’t support the “Iron” man getting a “Notorious” main event.

Sounds like Rafael dos Anjos is taking a page from the Khabib Nurmagomedov playbook.

The former UFC lightweight champion, who was forced to put his red panties back in the underwear drawer after a “sore toe” torpedoed his Conor McGregor headliner, doesn’t believe No. 5-ranked Michael Chandler deserves a moneymaking fight against the “Notorious” TUF 31 coach.

Especially with established veterans like Justin Gaethje waiting in the wings.

“He fights whoever he wants, he picks his fights,” Dos Anjos said during the UFC Vegas 78 media day. “I think it makes sense because of the show. To be honest with you, I don’t think Chandler deserves that fight. There’s other guys that deserve that fight. But I think it will make sense because of the show and all of that. Usually all of the coaches fight at the end of the show. Nothing against Chandler, but I think there is other guys that deserve that fight. Justin Gaethje is a guy who fought everybody, would make sense if he got that fight.”

UFC head cheese Dana White confirmed Chandler is still Mac’s first choice.

The 38 year-old Dos Anjos (32-14) has an opportunity to insert himself into the Connie Mac sweepstakes with an impressive victory over Vicente Luque in the UFC Vegas 78 main event this Sat. night (Aug. 12, 2023) at APEX in Las Vegas. Their five-round showdown will be contested at welterweight but “RDA” remains ranked in the Top 10 at 155 pounds.

To see who else is fighting at UFC Vegas 78 click here.