Archives: Chandler Implies That Charles Oliveira Is A Quitter (2021)

At UFC 262, Charles Oliveira proves directly to Michael Chandler that he can indeed overcome adversity when he pulled off the comeback win over him to become the undisputed UFC lightweight champion. Prior to the event, though, as you’ll find in the following article, Chandler was far from convinced about Oliveira’s heart.

The following article was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 2, 2021, 11:30 AM]

Michael Chandler is basing his belief that he will break Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 on past evidence.

Michael Chandler is on record in recently stating that he believes that Dan Hooker was a tougher test than Oliveira will be, and one of the reasons he came to that conclusion is because Hooker never gives up. When evaluating his UFC 262 opponent Charles Oliveira, Chandler came to an opposite conclusion. For starters, he believes that the fact that Oliveira has missed weight four different times reveals a lot about his character when the going gets tough. 

“I think it’s evidence of a weakness or lack of stick-to-itiveness,” Chandler said in a recent ESPN interview. Your word is your bond. When you sign your name to a contract saying, ‘I am going to render a service and the UFC is going to render a service and we enter into an agreement, you say, ‘I can make 145, I can make 155. I’m going to show up. I’m gonna fight five rounds; I’m gonna fight three rounds. I’m going to give my best, put my best foot forward. So from just a clear business standpoint, you’re not coming through on your end of the bargain, which I don’t like.”

Michael Chandler Cites Past Fight As Further Evidence Of Oliveira Quitting

Michael Chandler also based his questioning of Oliveira’s heart on a 2017 fight against Paul Felder. During the ending sequence of this fight, which was Oliveira’s last loss prior to his current eight-fight winning streak, Felder was dropping some massive elbows down on Oliveira’s face. It then appeared that Oliveira tapped briefly before Felder landed the remaining elbows that resulted in a TKO victory.

After witnessing what transpired that night while also factoring in his weight-cutting issues, Chandler is confident that he will make Oliveira give up again.

“I also was alluding to the fact, you look at the Paul Felder fight, he tapped due to strikes,” Chandler reminded. “You look at numerous fights, he just kind of goes…if he can’t impose his will on you, there comes a point he looks at you and decides, ‘OK, you’ve won this one. I’m done. I’m gonna go collect half a paycheck, and I’m gonna go home.’

“I think there’s gonna be a moment or multiple moments in this fight where he’s gonna see it in my eyes. He’s gonna feel the power that I possess. He’s gonna feel that I only get better, and he’s on a fast journey straight down to panicking.”

We’ll see if Michael Chandler’s prediction comes to pass on May 15 at UFC 262.

Do you think Michael Chandler will break Charles Oliveira at UFC 262?

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