Chiesa: Conor McGregor f@$%ed me out of the opportunity of a lifetime

UFC lightweight Michael Chiesa spoke recently with MMAjunkie ahead of his fight with Anthony Pettis on the main card of UFC 226. ‘Maverick’ anticipated that the first questions would likely be about Conor McGregor and when asked if he planned legal action said, “No comment.” That comment comes straight from an attorney, which means a settlement is being negotiated.

Chiesa was on the fighter bus that McGregor attacked with a hand truck at UFC 223. The target of the attack was Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was amused. Two fighters including Chiesa, were cut by flying glass to the point they couldn’t fight.

It was a weird fight week. On weigh-ins day, late replacement main eventer Max Holloway was ruled medically unfit for his fight vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov for the vacant lightweight title. Pettis took the fight, but couldn’t make weight. Eventually, the fight went to Al Iaquinta. However, Chiesa is certain that had McGregor not injured him, he would have had a title fight, and he is not impressed.

I lost a title shot, I have proof,” said Chiesa as transcribed by Mike Bohn and Ken Hathaway. “I was the highest ranked guy on the card. I would have stepped in to fight Khabib at the drop of a dime. I’ve always loved the fight with Khabib. Bless his heart, he’s a cool-ass guy. But this is a sport, and I’ve always liked the way I matched up against him, and I got f***ed out of that opportunity.

I don’t really have too many kind things to say to [McGregor]. You work your whole life for those kinds of opportunities. Do I want mine on short order? No, I’d love a training camp. But, like I said, if they walked in the door now and said, ‘Hey, you want to fight for the title in the next 10 minutes?’ I’m out the door, I’m warming up, I’m ready to go.

Not one person can ruin my love for mixed martial arts. My love for mixed martial arts will never waver. My love for the UFC will never waver. Just because some guy played up some theatrics WWE-style and took it a bit overboard and affected the lives of fighters and workers with the UFC, I’m not going to let one person’s actions directly affect how much I love this sport. The day I fall out of love with it, I’m hanging ’em up. It’s not worth it.

If you’re gonna get punched in the face, elbowed, cut up, busted up, injured, have to cut weight, have to bring yourself to the brink of death to show up the next day and try to put on the performance of your life, you’ve got to love it. And if I don’t love it, it’s just not worth it to me. And that love will never die. I’m not going to let one guy spoil the party.

I’m just not thinking about that. I don’t waste energy on that. I’ve wasted enough. Brooklyn was a f***ing heartbreaker, to say the least. And this is the most I’ve said about it. I’ve tried to stay mostly closed off, but f*** it. You guys want some answers, you got some.

UFC 226: Miocic vs. Cormier will be held on July 7, 2018, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.