Gallery Photos: Best of Michael Chandler view 27 images

Patricky Freire wants the next crack at Bellator lightweight champion Brent Primus. Many consider Michael Chandler to be the No. 1 contender, but the ex-titleholder is apparently willing to step aside.

Following his knockout of Roger Huerta at Bellator 205 this past weekend, Freire (20-8 MMA, 13-7 BMMA) called out reigning champ Primus (8-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) for a title bout later this year. “Pitbull” is on a four-fight winning streak and believes he’s done more to earn a title shot than Chandler (18-4 MMA, 15-4 BMMA).

Although the promotion is reportedly already working toward booking a Primus vs. Chandler rematch after their first fight at Bellator NYC in June 2017 ended in a controversial TKO, Chandler hasn’t come across as all that eager. He showed more signs of that fact when he volunteered to give up the shot to Freire (via Twitter):

Go ahead, you can have it, I’ll look away while you grab it – @FroggyFreshRap RT @MMAjunkie: .@PatrickyPitbull insists he deserves title shot over Michael Chandler after #Bellator205 knockout https://t.co/uIqpob72tK — Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) September 23, 2018

Go ahead, you can have it, I’ll look away while you grab it.

Chandler, 32, hasn’t competed since Bellator 197 in April. He earned a first-round submission of Brandon Girtz at the event in what was the final fight on his Bellator deal. “Iron” spent the past several month renegotiating a new deal, which he finally signed earlier this month.

Since dropping the 155-pound belt more than a year ago, Chandler has dismissed Primus (who hasn’t competed since) as a “part-time fighter” who is not worthy of his time. He said he’s prefer Bellator sign free agent Eddie Alvarez (29-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC) for a trilogy bout, and his latest message reveals more about his lack of interest in Primus.

For more on the Bellator schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.