Michael Chandler on his inner voice telling him he ‘doesn’t deserve’ the Conor McGregor fight

Michael Chandler has given an incredible insight into his mind, revealing that he has to work hard to fend off the voice telling him he ‘doesn’t deserve’ the Conor McGregor fight.

The American was scheduled to go head-to-head with ‘The Notorious’ at UFC 303, until an injury forced the Irishman to withdraw from the contest.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLCMichael Chandler reveals battle with ‘Inner voice’ over Conor McGregor fightIn his incredible career, Michael Chandler has cemented his place among the greatest lightweights the sport has ever seen.

With the Bellator championship still glistening on his mantelpiece and an array of high-level wins in the UFC, the Missouri native is hardly short of achievements.

Blessed with remarkable wrestling skills and ferocious punching power, ‘Iron’ has become a fan favorite, using his all-action style to give the public an array of incredible fights.

In addition, he’s hardly lacking a personality, regularly making waves with his trash talking skills.

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Therefore, on paper, he makes for the perfect opponent for Conor McGregor. However, despite his best efforts, he’s failed to get the Dubliner in the cage.

This has left him with a great deal of inner doubt, which he’s worked tirelessly to overcome.

The 38-year-old told Action Network: “He [my inner voice] does not think I deserve this fight [with Conor]. But I do. I think we all have that little guy or that little girl inside of us. And it’s okay to have them. And I think it’s also okay to open up about it. “

The fighter continued: “It seems more genuine, and it’s more authentic: to speak about your struggles, to speak about your shortcomings, to speak about your doubts, because if you act like you are impenetrable and you’re bulletproof, it’s an unattainable psychology.

“I do hear the doubters, and I do hear the naysayers, and I do hear the haters, of course. But we just keep on moving forward, and even though that little guy from that little town doesn’t believe that we were created to create this crazy life that we have, we just pat them on the back and say, ‘It’s okay. Just keep on coming’. We’re gonna keep on climbing.”

Michael Chandler reveals how he’s beaten his ‘Inner voice’Having gone toe-to-toe with negative thoughts, the brawler has learned how to channel his doubts in a positive direction.

He explained: “I have definitely learned how to silence my inner voice more. I was a small guy from a small town who was taught to do small things, and I think there are just so many people that do resonate with that message my Mum and Dad told me, or grandma and grandpa told me, or the people in my town told me, that this is what we do – this is the level that we climb to, and we don’t climb past that because we are Chandlers, or we are from High Ridge, Missouri, so I have continued to climb out of that box my entire career.

“And I think there’s a lot of people that that story resonates with from around the world. It is part of the human condition. And I think some dragons you slay and some you get really good at pushing into a corner and managing them, and realizing that they are your friend.

“I was mad at the little guy for a very long time, and then once I began to acknowledge him and became friends with him, and realized that there are a lot of great things that I have accomplished, and great things that I have acquired in this life because of him, I stopped hating him, and just started to embrace him and enjoying the ride. And we’re on this journey together.”

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