UFC star Michael Chandler recently provided the full backstage story behind his electrifying appearance on the February 19, 2025, episode of WWE Raw, where he got on the mic and cut a passionate promo calling out Conor McGregor. Speaking on the Insight podcast with Chris Van Vliet, Chandler revealed that the promo was his idea and that he had to get permission from the highest levels of WWE, including President Nick Khan.
Chandler, who was in town for a UFC event in Anaheim, explained that he didn’t want to overstep his bounds as a guest at the show.
“They knew [the promo] was gonna happen, because I wanted to ask for permission. Once again, going back to I’m not going to show up to WWE and make it about me. So I asked, I forget who I was sitting with. But they asked, and it went up to Nick [Khan], went up the flagpole to Nick… I was like, Well, hey, why don’t you just give me the microphone? And they were like, you want the microphone? And I was like, Yeah, I want the microphone. And they were like, hold on. Everyone’s got the ear pieces, one of the production people wound it up the flag pole to Nick, and Nick’s like, yeah, give him the microphone.”
He also shared the one specific warning he received from the production team, which he almost violated.
“But then they did say, ‘Hey, make sure you do not rip the… microphone out of her hand, they will freaking be mad at you if you do that.’ I’m like, okay, I’ll take it. But it was a little bit of a passionate grab. But it wasn’t like, ‘Give me that thing!’”
The promo was a viral success, garnering a reported 60 million views in 24 hours. Chandler, who has lost five of his last six UFC fights, explained that his goal has always been to entertain the fans above all else, a mentality he feels is missing from some other fighters.
“My number one goal is always to make people feel something. If you’re buying a pay-per-view… you just took your work boots off, you invited some buddies over, and you’re going to watch me fight. I’m going to pour every single ounce of myself into that performance… I think you don’t see that with certain guys and gals in the sport, it becomes too much of a ‘well, I’m too afraid to lose so therefore, I’m not gonna put myself out there.’… I’m living my passion, and I love… God created me for hand-to-hand combat, in the wrestling mats, maybe in the WWE ring after fighting, but right now in the UFC.”