The lightweight division is back in full swing as no. 4 ranked lightweight Michael Chandler is less than a week away from challenging no. 3 ranked contender Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC lightweight title at UFC 262 in Houston, Texas.
Another lightweight fight that will help provide the division with some activity is the trilogy bout between no. 1 contender Dustin Poirier and no. 6 ranked lightweight Conor McGregor, which will serve as the main event of UFC 264.
It would not be far-fetched to assume the winner of that fight will be up next to challenge the winner between Chandler and Oliveria for the lightweight championship.
Chandler gave his thoughts on who would be an ideal challenger for his first title defense if he wins the belt in Saturday night’s main event.
“The great thing is man, either of them. They’re number one and number ‘one-a’ in my book,” Chandler said to TMZSports. “Honestly, whoever wins that fight, I will be in attendance in the front row there in Vegas on July 10th. I’ll be watching keenly to see who my next opponent is.
“Dustin Poirier is a heck of a competitor man, consummate professional. Great fighter inside the octagon, great dude outside of it. I wanna see Conor come back man. There’s nothing better than when a guy as big as Conor McGregor falls short, loses and then is able to pull himself back up and win.”
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While the former world champion is well aware of the fact that he still has to take care of business at UFC 262, Chandler zeroed in on the winner of the UFC 264 main event for his first potential title defense.
“Obviously the athlete in me wants to fight the winner of it, the business man in me wants to fight Conor, of course,” Chandler said. But all of it hinges upon me having a phenomenal performance on May 15th.
“So we take care of business, then we go there July 10th, enjoy a weekend in Vegas and see who my next opponent’s gonna be. But either way that’s gonna be a good fight, and I will be there for sure.”
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Michael Chandler rooting for a Conor McGregor to set up first title defense
