LAS VEGAS – Ali Abdelaziz isn’t keen on seeing Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler next.
Gaethje (22-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) has been eager to return to action for months now and Chandler’s name has been floating around, an idea UFC president Dana White is on board with.
But the Dominance MMA CEO thinks Chandler (22-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) hasn’t earned the right to take on former interim lightweight champion Gaethje, who claims he was in talks to face Chandler at UFC 262 until the promotion opted to give Chandler a vacant lightweight title fight against Charles Oliveira (31-8 MMA, 19-8 UFC).
“I believe Justin Gaethje should be fighting Charles Oliveira next,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “That’s what I believe. Dustin maybe needs to take a break (and) let these two guys handle. I know the UFC wants to make Chandler. I think Mike Chandler doesn’t deserve nothing. He’s 1-1. He was knocked out in Bellator at 145. On paper it’s a great fight, but Mike Chandler doesn’t deserve anything. He needs to be quiet, sit down, and if Justin decides to fight him, he’ll let him know. But Mike Chandler doesn’t deserve anything.”
Gaethje hasn’t competed since failing to unify the lightweight belts against then-champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 in October. Chandler is also coming off a title fight loss when he was knocked out by Oliveira at UFC 262 in May.
