Michael Chandler: Dustin Poirier Is Definitely A Fight That Interests Me
Former multiple-time Bellator lightweight champion ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler shocked the entire mixed martial arts community this past Saturday at UFC 257, as he ran right through No. 6 ranked Dan Hooker, TKO’ing him midway through round one.
This is perhaps the most impressive UFC debut of all-time, or maybe second to Anderson Silva debuting against Chris Leben. Nonetheless, Chandler has really shaken the lightweight division up with this victory, and we’re all left wondering what’s next.
Chandler went onto Jim Rome’s podcast following his victory over Hooker, where he was asked if a vacant title fight against Dustin Poirier interested him, considering that’s what Dana White stated he wants:
“That is definitely a fight that interests me. To be honest with you, Dustin Poirier was the first fight that I tried to get inside the UFC. I think I match up extremely well against him.
“I got a ton of respect for that man inside the octagon and outside the octagon. He’s a champion in his own right. I got to watch him cageside, go and put away Conor McGregor, one of the greatest of all-time. At this point, the performances that we both put on I think warrant that next title shot.
“Listen, Khabib Nurmagomedov is the greatest to ever do it, but we all know he’s stepping away. Let him step away, let’s relinquish the belt, let’s put it on the line between me against Dustin Poirier here in the next quarter, and I promise you after that fight I will be the UFC champion.
“I hope that’s the one (fight) that happens, and hopefully we can celebrate after.”
Chandler has also expressed his interest in a potential clash with vacating UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, stating in the UFC 257 post-fight press conference that if Nurmagomedov came back to fight him, he wouldn’t improve to 30-0, but would fall to 29-and-Chandler.
Rome then asked Chandler, considering ‘Nurmagomedov never lost a round practically, is he beatable?’
“He is. Everybody is beatable, and it is because this sport is just designed in that way. Eventually, you lose. Everybody loses, nobody goes undefeated, except for Khabib, essentially.
“So, he is beatable. There is a recipe to beat him, I believe I have that recipe. I believe I have the wrestling offense and defense, I believe that I have the power in my hands, and I believe I have the cardio, the veteranship, and the cage awareness to be able to put together a great performance to be able to beat Khabib.
“As you said, everybody can be beaten, anybody can be beaten on any given night.
“Just because he has looked unbeatable, which I do agree with you by the way, it would almost be somewhat of a quasi surprise to myself in certain scenarios; beating him, or stopping the takedown, or taking him down, or inflicting a lot of damage on him, because we haven’t seen that a ton.
“But, just because we haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it can’t be done, and I just believe I have the recipe to do it.”
Chances are, Chandler faces one of three names next. It’ll either be Dustin Poirier for the vacant UFC lightweight championship, if the UFC can convince Poirier to take the fight, or Chandler will face Justin Gaethje or Charles Oliveira in a No. 1 contender fight, both of which are also in the top five.
Whoever Chandler does end up facing next, it’s a sure thing we’ll all be tuning in!
Who would you like to see Michael Chandler face next?
