Michael Chandler, Rafael dos Anjos and Kevin Lee offer to replace Dustin Poirier against Conor McGregor at UFC 264 after Irishman sensationally called off trilogy bout with ‘f***ing brain dead’ American rival over $500,000 feud
- A host of lightweight fighters have offered to replace Dustin Poirier at UFC 264
- Conor McGregor called off his fight with The Diamond on Twitter on Monday
- The Irishman, 32, was furious with an accusation over an unpaid $500,000
- Michael Chandler, Rafael dos Anjos and Kevin Lee want to step up to the plate
Michael Chandler, Rafael dos Anjos and Kevin Lee have thrown their hats in the ring to face Conor McGregor on July 10 after the Irishman cast doubt over his date with Dustin Poirier.
McGregor, 32, erupted on Twitter on Monday after American rival Poirier, 32, accused The Notorious of failing to donate $500,000 pledged to his foundation before their meeting at UFC 257 in January.
The Irishman hit back, arguing that he never sends funds unless there was detailed evidence of where the money would go. And now the former two-weight world champion is so incensed that he is refusing to fight Poirier.
A host of UFC fighters, including Michael Chandler, want to step in to take on Conor McGregor
McGregor sensationally claimed that his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier on July 10 is cancelled
He wrote: ‘You’re ripped you inbred hillbilly. Why do you wink with your ears? You f*****g brain dead hillbilly. 500k with no plan in place. Ye hang tight. Fool.
‘You must be new to money. The fight is off btw. I’m going to fight someone else on the 10th. Good luck on your old contract kid.’
He then went on: ‘My team does their due diligence to make sure every donation meets the mark. My generosity is known.
The pair were embroiled in a Twitter spat over an allegedly unpaid $500,000 donation
McGregor labelled Poirier a ‘brain dead hillbilly’ and said that the UFC 264 fight is off
‘You will pay with your brain for this attempt at smearing my name. Shooting ass shelling ass b****. Little b***** kicks from a shell. Good luck when you’re caught. You’re f*****.’
McGregor lost to Poirier on Fight Island earlier this year, suffering his first career knock out defeat, and had been looking to avenge the loss in his pursuit of the lightweight title.
It is not yet known whether McGregor is genuine in his claim that the fight is off, but a number of lightweight hopefuls have expressed their availability to meet the July 10 date.
UFC lightweights Kevin Lee (L) and Rafael dos Anjos (R) have offered to take on McGregor
Chandler, who fights for the lightweight title on May 15, says he can defend just weeks later
Ex-lightweight champ dos Anjos referenced a jibe when he was set to meet McGregor in 2016
American fighter Kevin Lee, ranked no 13, tweeted that he is available for the UFC 264 card
Chandler, who takes on Charles Oliveira in a fight for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s vacated title on May 15, teased that he would be willing to defend his title, should he win it, within a matter of weeks, tweeting: ‘May 15 and July 10… book it! #backtoback’.
Former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, who was scheduled to meet McGregor in 2016 before an injury ruled him out of the contest, registered his interest in stepping in for The Diamond.
‘Red panty night?’ dos Anjos tweeted in response to McGregor’s claim, referring to the Irishman’s jibe that it is a ‘celebration’ when a fighter signs to face him, such is the lucrative pay day that is earned.
Poirier (right) defeated McGregor (left) with a superb knockout when they met in January
Meanwhile, former interim title contender Kevin Lee, who is now ranked 13 in the 155-pound division, made himself available for July 10.
‘Lemme fit in this bih @TheNotoriousMMA @danawhite I can be ready July 10’, the American tweeted.
McGregor is a big scalp for fighters, with his popularity and the fragility shown in January an enticing prospect for contenders to make a name for themselves and elevate their status in the UFC.