Justin Gaethje says he was passed over for UFC 262 fight vs. Michael Chandler

Justin Gaethje thought he was in line to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 262 – until he wasn’t.

Following Thursday’s announcements that Khabib Nurmagomedov had officially relinquished the UFC lightweight title and Chandler vs. Charles Oliveira was booked for the vacant belt on the May 15 card in Houston, Gaethje (22-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) revealed he was in talks for the fight.

From the way he spelled it out, it seems Gaethje was caught off guard when the promotion opted to shift directions to a matchup with Oliveira (via Twitter):

I woke up yesterday to train for a matchup with Chandler on May 15th expecting a bout agreement any moment. Today that is not the case, I don’t know what I do yet but I like this feeling. It was a good day at sparring practice.

— Justin Gaethje (@Justin_Gaethje) March 20, 2021

I woke up yesterday to train for a matchup with Chandler on May 15th expecting a bout agreement any moment. Today that is not the case, I don’t know what I do yet but I like this feeling. It was a good day at sparring practice.

Gaethje, 32, did not specify whether the matchup he was negotiating with Chandler would’ve been for the title.

The No. 3 fighter in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings hasn’t competed since losing to Nurmagomedov by second-round submission at UFC 254 in October.