After an emphatic finish in his UFC debut, Michael Chandler has officially entered the promotion’s lightweight title race.
Chandler (22-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made quick work of the durable Dan Hooker in the co-main event of UFC 257, in what Dana White called the most impressive UFC debut in recent memory.
As soon as Chandler stopped Hooker, he cut an epic promo and then made sure to watch the night’s headliner between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, where “The Diamond” stunned “The Notorious” with a second-round TKO.
With UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov seemingly happily retired, Chandler wants the division to move on and thinks he and Poirier (27-6 MMA, 19-5 UFC) are the right guys to battle it out for the vacant UFC title.
“That is definitely a fight (Poirier) that interests me,” Chandler said on a recent episode of “The Jim Rome Show.” “To be honest with you, Dustin Poirier was the first fight I tried to get in 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 warrants 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 and Dustin Poirier in the next quarter, and I promise you after that fight, I’ll be the UFC champion. I hope that’s the one that happens, and hopefully we can celebrate after.”
Despite Chandler’s willingness to face Poirier, “The Diamond” was rather dismissive of him after his big win at UFC 257. Poirier expressed interest in a potential trilogy with McGregor or a fight with Nate Diaz, as well as acknowledging Charles Oliveira being in the running for a potential title shot, as well.