Michael Chandler hasn’t really held back when discussing the controversial ending to a title-costing affair with Brent Primus. And when another 155-pound fighter tried to crash Bellator’s title scene, the ex-champ made sure to reinsert himself in the chatter.

So you’d figure that Bellator President Scott Coker’s reassurance that a rematch with Chandler (16-4 MMA, 13-4 BMMA) is the next logical step for champ Primus (8-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) would be met with at least some enthusiasm by the former titleholder, right?

Well, not quite.

“Honestly, I couldn’t care less at this point,” Chandler told MMAjunkie Radio. “I just – I want big fights. I’m not necessarily wanting to fight Brent Primus next. At this point, I’ve already sat out for a little while. And they’ve let (Primus) act like he can actually call some shots and decide when he wants to fight.

“I know Scott Coker said something about February, March. That’s out of the question. Because I need to fight. And I want to fight. I’ve been teasing that I would love to go up a weight class and take some challengers there. I’ve got some options.”

This is, of course, not Chandler’s first time talking about a different weight class. After the leg injury that ended his recent Bellator NYC meeting with Primus proved to be less serious than it looked, the hungry ex-champ quickly resumed his training while eyeing a return.

Seeing that welterweight Rory MacDonald was dealing with a similar case of cage itch, Chandler even issued a challenge to the former UFC title challenger (via Twitter):

Chandler may have been fighting at 155 pounds for “99 percent” of his career, but he doesn’t really see himself as a small lightweight. Nor is he intimidated by the thought of meeting long-time 170-pounders. So, though MacDonald specifically is now scheduled to meet champ Douglas Lima, Chandler said now would be as good a time as any to start taking on these challenges.

“I’m not just looking to fight; I’m looking to get big fights,” Chandler said. “You only get a small window of opportunity in this sport. Someday I’m going to look back and wonder how many fights kind of flew under the radar for me.

“Paul Daley had a nice, big impressive win this past weekend (over Lorenz Larkin at Bellator 183). That’s a fight that I would like, eventually. The Rory MacDonald fight is a fight that I would like eventually.”

That is not to say that Chandler doesn’t want a chance to reclaim the 155-pound belt. But he also believes that opportunity is “always going to be there.” So with Primus’ focus currently geared toward tending to his newborn, and Chandler’s desire to get back in there soon, he simply doesn’t see a title match as his only option.

“For me, my happiness is not tied to a belt,” Chandler said. “My happiness is not tied to that gold. They’re sitting in my house, and they’re collecting dust. And they will tarnish, and they will rust, and they will kind of deteriorate.

“But my career and the big fights and the people I impacted, and the people that watch me and the people that were inspired and motivated by a guy who wasn’t afraid to take on all comers, a guy who wasn’t afraid to get outside of his comfort zone and call out bigger guys, and call out big fights – that’s really what’s going to be painted in ink on my legacy forever, after I’m done. We’ll see how it plays out.”

Having shown a a lot less than he’d like at Madison Square Garden in June against Primus, Chandler is eager to create some new cage memories. But while he’s obviously had some trouble digesting the freakish way that title meeting ended, Chandler said it only hurt Primus’ own case as the division’s legitimate champion.

Chandler says he can’t really pin his own dissatisfaction with the “unfortunate set of consequences” that led to the doctor stoppage on Primus. But at the same time, he said the “part-time fighter” champ should be the one most invested in the rematch.

“If anything, he should be chomping at the bit to beat me and legitimize himself as the champion,” Chandler said. “I would think, if you have a competitive bone in your body, I would think that’s how your brain would work.”

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

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