After the unexpected expected news of Lightweight King Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement, Dana White was quick to announce a fight to find the new king. At UFC 262, it will be Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveria for the Lightweight Championship.
Michael Chandler
This fight sees the newcomer getting a crack at the belt after an incredible performance in his debut in January at UFC 257 against Dan Hooker. This writer did not have much faith in “Iron” Michael Chandler and boy did he prove the doubters wrong. So what I picked Hooker and didn’t believe in Chandler. But that is the beauty of MMA, anyone can be proven wrong. Because of his showing, he showed that not only does he belong, but that he is among the best in a brutal Lightweight division.
Chandler, 34, spent the majority of his career in Bellator, becoming a three-time Bellator Lightweight champion and was the winner of Bellator’s Season Four Lightweight Tournament. No one will ever forget his classic bouts against the likes of Brent Primus, Eddie Alvarez, or Patricky Friere. Because of fights like these, Chandler has become a fan favorite. Michael Chandler has never been afraid to push the pace and smother his opponents. Chandler possesses elite-level grappling and as he showed against Dan Hooker, massive knockout power.
It will be interesting to see the gameplan Michael Chandler and his team from Sanford MMA has for such a unique striker in Charles Oliveira at UFC 262.
Charles Oliveira
Standing across from Michael Chandler at UFC 262 is Charles “do Bronx” Oliveira. Oliveira is currently riding a massive 8 fight win streak, beating the likes of Clay Guida, Jim Miller, Kevin Lee, and most recently Tony Ferguson. The 31-year-old from Sao Paulo, Brazil has improved leaps and bounds since his debut in the UFC back in 2010.
Oliveira loves to get the fight to the ground and look for high-level submissions. He holds the UFC record for most submissions in Lightweight history with an astonishing 14. But do not sleep on his ability to finish fights by KO/TKO, with impressive finishes of Nik Lentz and Jared Gordon. The BJJ specialist always keeps fighters guessing if he will look to take you down and submit you or look to finish the fight standing up.
So, What Gives?
The question is, what gives in this fight? Can Charles Oliveira get Michael Chandler down and keep him there long enough to look for a limb to attack? Can Chandler keep up and track down Oliveira and wrestle him down or catch him with a devastating right hand? Who will replace the Lightweight GOAT Khabib Nurmagomedov? At UFC 262, all questions will be answered, and I can not wait to watch it unfold.
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