Former three-time Bellator MMA lightweight champion Michael Chandler signed with UFC and served as a back up for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s final title defense vs. Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 254. It’s widely believed that Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will fight for the title when it is officially vacated. So that leaves Chandler looking for a big fight, as he detailed during a recent appearance on the UFC Unfiltered podcast.
Tony Ferguson, Justin Gaethje would be number one and number two of the guys I want to fight, said Chandler. I think it’s a great introductory fight to the UFC fans of who Michael Chandler is. They’re both great fights, they’re both guys who fight. As you guys have seen who watched my fights, guys who run away, that’s the best way to try to beat me is to try to run away from my pressure. Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson are going to meet me in the middle of the Octagon and we’re going to have a blast. So either of those guys sounds like a great fight.
As Chandler was not Bellator’s titleholder when he signed with the UFC, so have suggested that vaulting him into a title shot or #1 contender fight is disrepectful to the existing contenders who fought their uo through the meat grinder that is the UFC. Chandler argues coherently that a top five contender fight is reasonable.
I think if we do look at the past as a predictor of the future or right now, you look at Ben Askren, he drew Robbie Lawler right away, argued Chandler. High profile fight, top-five guy. You look at Justin Gaethje coming over a couple years ago from WSOF which, no shade towards them at the time or his track record, but my resume, some of the fights and wins I have, and Bellator as an organization, I think, is a step above where he came from, he also drew a top-five guy right away in Michael Johnson. So I don’t think I’m being entitled by coming in and saying I would like a top-five guy right away.
“Let’s be honest, I share a division with the biggest name in combat sports. The most polarizing guy we may ever see and his name is Conor McGregor. So if Conor McGregor is in the weight class, and there needs to be an interim belt, chances are he could be fighting for it and I don’t fault the UFC for that. I realize I’m the new guy, the lowest guy on the pecking order. I just want to come in and earn it.
h/t Jed Meshew for MMA Fighting
