The UFC reality series The Ultimate Fighter is no stranger to a clash on set. After all, it is a key part of the show.
It’s not just the fighters that clash either, as coaches are no strangers to getting involved from time to time. Who can forget Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva brawling on set, or Cody Garbrandt and T.J. Dillashaw clashing after animosity between the pair built up for months?
Well it seems like this season is no different, with UFC President Dana White confirming that the returning Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler were involved in a bad scrap while filming the newest series.
Now, details have emerged about what happened, and it will certainly make for decent television…
What is The Ultimate Fighter?
For those who are not aware of what The Ultimate Fighter is, it is a UFC TV show where aspiring MMA fighters are coached by two established members of the UFC roster and compete for a contract.
More commonly known as TUF by MMA fans, the show has run for 30 seasons now, and involves both coaches squaring off once the season finishes filming.
That means that Conor McGregor will return to the Octagon for the first time in nearly two years, with the Irishman last competing back in July 2021 when he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy fight. However, a date for his fight against Chandler has not yet been announced.
What did Dana White say?
The two men apparently could not wait for their fight night to be announced, with Dana White telling reporters that the two men had been involved in an altercation while filming the series.
Speaking after UFC 285, White said: “Michael Chandler and Conor McGregor were very respectful to each other, and then some things started escalating that you’ll see on the show. They do not like each other now. A lot of s*** went down on Friday.
“There was a lot of s*** that went down on Friday, yeah. I don’t look at stuff that’s good for the show or things like that. Whatever happens, happens.
“The stuff that just happened shouldn’t have happened, and I’m getting old. I would have been in there sooner back in the days but not good.”
New details emerge
And now, MMA journalist Amy Kaplan has shared on Twitter what exactly seemed to spark the whole confrontation.
It all occurred after a fight on the show, with McGregor and Chandler clashing inside the Octagon and having to be separated.
“Here’s what I learned about the McGregor/Chandler “incident” that Dana was alluding to on Saturday,” Kaplan wrote. “Apparently, someone was KO’d, and McGregor jumped in the cage, shoved Chandler, someone got slapped, and the teams rushed the cage. NSAC broke it up.”
It certainly seems like tensions between the pair are at an all-time high, and that should make for an even better fight and fantastic viewing when the season airs.
