NEW YORK – Michael Chandler thinks a lightweight title shot is in his future after Saturday, but his opponent begs to differ about that outlook.
Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) takes on former champion Charles Oliveira in the UFC 309 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Hulu/FX, ESPN+) co-main at Madison Square Garden, and Wednesday he all but predicted he’d be next in line for a shot at the 155-pound belt with a win over the Brazilian.
Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC) never lost the lightweight title. He was stripped of it ahead of a defense against Justin Gaethje when he failed to make weight and missed his shot to reclaim it when he lost to current champ Islam Makhachev, considered one of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters.
