Michael Chandler predicts he’ll break Charles Oliveira, move on to face Conor McGregor next

MMA News

Michael Chandler predicts he’ll break Charles Oliveira, move on to face Conor McGregor next

Michael Chandler has an inkling he’ll be facing the sport’s biggest star in his first title defense.

Chandler (22-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) meets Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title in the UFC 262 main event May 15 at Toyota Center in Houston.

The trilogy bout between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor is projected to take place a couple of months after Chandler competes and could determine the No. 1 contender.

If Chandler beats Oliveira, he thinks it’ll be McGregor (22-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) who prevails, despite the fact he was stopped by Poirier in their rematch, which took place on the same night that Chandler made his promotional debut at UFC 257.

“Most likely I’m fighting Conor or Poirier next, whoever wins that fight,” Chandler told ESPN. “I think it’s Conor. … I think there’s a very few little things that Conor can do to win that fight. I think it’s Conor McGregor sometime later this fall or winter, but also that’s probably wishful thinking.

“If it’s Dustin Poirier, I’m excited about that opportunity, as well. I think I match up better against Dustin Poirier than I do a lot of guys in the division. That’s why I called for that fight right away. … If I put my money on it, I think it’s going to be Conor. I think he makes some very small, minor adjustments and he gets the win in that trilogy – at least that’s what I’m believing, and that’s what my mind says who I think wins that fight.”

But first, Chandler has to get past the streaking Oliveira (30-8 MMA, 18-8 UFC), who has strung together a big run in the stacked 155-pound division. Although Oliveira wasn’t initially on his radar, Chandler thinks some of Oliveira’s weight mishaps at featherweight and stoppage losses have shown signs of weakness, and he’s looking to exploit them.

“You miss weight that many times … I also was alluding to the Paul Felder fight – he tapped due to strikes,” Chandler said. “You look at numerous fights. If he can’t impose his will on you, there comes a point where he looks at you and decides, ‘OK, you’ve won this one. I’m done. I’m going to go collect half a paycheck and go home.’ I think there’s going to be multiple moments in this fight where he’s going to see it in my eyes. He’s going to feel the power that I possess. He’s going to feel that I only get better and he’s on a fast journey straight down to panicking, and I think that’s what’s going to happen.”

Michael Chandler predicts he’ll break Charles Oliveira, move on to face Conor McGregor next