Former two division UFC champion Conor McGregor and a handful of friends attacked a bus full of UFC fighters days before UFC 223.
Michael Chiesa was on that bus and he claims the bus attack cost him a shot at the UFC Lightweight Title.
“I don’t really got a lot to say to the guy,” Chiesa said at a UFC media event. “I lost a title shot. I have proof. 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*cked 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. Like I said, if they walk in the door now and say, ‘Hey, do 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. To lose the opportunity, that’s tough. You know how this sport works, guys. Opportunities like that don’t come along. I could strike along 15 wins in a row and still not get a title shot and I lost my opportunity and my dream. I hope that I’m gonna fight my ass off to earn it back staring on July 7 against Anthony Pettis. But yeah, tough pill to swallow.”
Al Iaquinta wound up getting the opportunity for the UFC Lightweight Title, as Chiesa would be pulled from UFC 223 due to injuries suffered from the bus attack.
McGregor hasn’t even apologized to Chiesa for the attack, which has angered the lightweight further.
“No, I haven’t heard from him,” Chiesa said. “So, f*ck him.”
UFC 226 takes place on Saturday, July 7 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
