UFC lightweight title contender Michael Chandler thinks he and Dustin Poirier really should following fight for the belt. In a perfect entire world, existing champ Khabib Nurmagomedov will be down the street.
Chandler on Wednesday informed Jim Rome a matchup with Poirier “is surely a fight that interests me” after a close to-miss at UFC 254, in which he served as a backup fighter following Poirier balked at the payday available to battle the former Bellator champ.
Chandler created a substantial splash in his UFC 257 octagon debut and employed his victory speech to slice a promo on Nurmagomedov. But with the champ’s choice to retire looking final, he is angling to fight Poirier for the vacant belt.
“At this position, the performances that we each set on warrant that future title shot,” Chandler mentioned. “Khabib Nurmagomedov is the best to ever do it. But we all know he’s stepping away. Let us allow him step away, let’s relinquish the belt, let’s set it on the line involving me and Dustin in the up coming quarter, and I promise you after that struggle, I will be the UFC champion.”
Chandler’s uphill fight to experience Poirier at UFC 254 may well have gotten even worse immediately after UFC 257. Poirier assured the spectacular newcomer would not be his next opponent just after a 2nd-round knockout of Conor McGregor in the headliner of this previous Saturday’s shell out-for each-watch function.
“It’s just my inner thoughts toward the division and the sport,” Poirier explained. “I misplaced to Khabib, I came out and place on a ‘Fight of the Year’ for you guys, received my hand elevated from a top rated-5 opponent immediately after that. Then I arrive in there and Khabib does not want to occur back again, then I knock out one of the most important fights you can get. I knock this person out, way too. Khabib reiterates he does not want to fight any additional – dude, I’m the champ. I’m not heading to fight, some – and like I claimed, respect to Chandler – a new guy to the UFC who just beat a dude which is coming off a decline that I just conquer for the belt. Which is not fascinating to me.”
Whether Poirier’s stance shifts in the confront of a far better offer you, or other pressures used by the UFC, continues to be to be witnessed. Chandler’s No. 1 priority is of system capturing the belt, and Poirier is the person to conquer.
Following that, Chandler can feel about yet another feather in his cap – breaking Nurmagomedov’s unbeaten streak. The present-day UFC lightweight champ retired at 29- just after defeating interim champ Justin Gaethje at UFC 254, and he reportedly held quickly to his choice in a assembly with UFC President Dana White. All indicators place to the belt heading up for grabs, nevertheless the final timeline for that going on rests with the promotion.
Chandler believes he has what it takes to conquer Nurmagomedov and hopes the unbeaten fighter would make a comeback just after receiving a flavor of retired life.
“Maybe I defend the title 1 time, and probably [Nurmagomedov] gets bored and comes back,” Chandler claimed. “That would be finest-case situation.”
Like White, Chandler sees the aim of 30- as a obstacle far too tempting for “The Eagle” to decline without end.
“He’s gotta appear back again and he’s got to beat somebody in his quest for 30-, so why not attempt to conquer me?” Chandler reported of Nurmagomedov.
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