Michael Chandler wants Dustin Poirier, for the belt

In the co-main event of UFC 257 on Saturday, former three-time Bellator MMA lightweight champion Michael Chandler enjoyed what league president Dana White called the most impressive big show debut in memory, destroying #6 ranked Dan Hooker. The big question of course is who’s next? 

“Iron” appeared recently on Jim Rome’s podcast and offered a shining suggestion – Dustin Poirier, who in the main event stopped former champ champ Conor McGregor for the first time due to strikes. Further, Chandler accurately believes that division champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is likely fully retired, so the fight should be for the title.

That is definitely a fight that interests me,” said Chandler. “To be honest with you, Dustin Poirier was the first fight that I tried to get inside the UFC. I think I match up extremely well against him.

I got a ton of respect for that man inside the Octagon and outside the Octagon. He’s a champion in his own right. I got to watch him cageside, go and put away Conor McGregor, one of the greatest of all-time. At this point, the performances that we both put on I think warrant that next title shot.

Listen, Khabib Nurmagomedov is the greatest to ever do it, but we all know he’s stepping away. Let him step away, let’s relinquish the belt, let’s put it on the line between me against Dustin Poirier here in the next quarter, and I promise you after that fight I will be the UFC champion.

I hope that’s the one that happens, and hopefully we can celebrate after.

Rome asked Chandler if he thought the undefeated Nurmagomedov, who barely lost a round in his UFC career, was beatable.

He is. Everybody is beatable, and it is because this sport is just designed in that way,” replied Chandler. “Eventually, you lose. Everybody loses, nobody goes undefeated, except for Khabib, essentially.

So, he is beatable. There is a recipe to beat him, I believe I have that recipe. I believe I have the wrestling offense and defense, I believe that I have the power in my hands, and I believe I have the cardio, the veteranship, and the cage awareness to be able to put together a great performance to be able to beat Khabib.”

Just because he has looked unbeatable, which I do agree with you by the way, it would almost be somewhat of a quasi surprise to myself in certain scenarios; beating him, or stopping the takedown, or taking him down, or inflicting a lot of damage on him, because we haven’t seen that a ton.

But, just because we haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it can’t be done, and I just believe I have the recipe to do it.

What do you think UG? 
1. Do you want to see Chandler vs. Poirier?
2. Should it be for the title?
3. Is Khabib beatable, by Chandler?

h/t Brady Briggs for My MMA News