Former three-time Bellator Champion, Michael Chandler, joined the UFC earlier this year. He was immediately given the important role of being the backup for the lightweight title fight that took place in October between Gaethje and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
As both men made weight and finished their fight in the Octagon, Chandler has yet to make his UFC debut. Speculations have been made as to who Chandler would face in his first fight in the UFC and the front runners seem to be Justin Gaethje, Rafael Dos Anjos, or Dan Hooker.
“Give him the former interim champ”- Poirier on who he thinks Chandler should fight first
“I would think it would probably be him and Gaethje before him and Hooker,” Poirier told MMA Junkie. “If you’re going to toss him into the top of the division and giving him this push, give him the former interim champ who just came off a title fight. That’s a great measuring stick to see where he’s at.”
Dustin Poirier thinks that out of all the options available, Chandler should face the toughest of the bunch, and according to Poirier, that’s the former interim champ who just came off a title fight- Justin Gaethje. He feels that this fight would give everyone a good idea of where Chandler stands in the lightweight rankings and what he’s capable of.
There were rumors that Chandler would face off against Tony Ferguson initially, but Ferguson has since been scheduled to fight Charles Oliveira at UFC 256 on December 12. What do you think? Who should Michael Chandler face in his UFC debut?
Also read; “I f*cked up, I made a mistake”- Dana White finally rewards Figueiredo with “Post-fight Bonus”
