Charles Oliveira is on his way to make history at UFC 317. He’s just one opponent away from becoming the lightweight champion for a second, but it won’t be easy, considering Ilia Topuria is heading into the fight as the favorite. But in the midst of all that talk about his fight, a statement from his ex-rival, Michael Chandler, has resurfaced on social media, causing a stir ahead of Oliveira’s International Fight Week headliner.

Michael Chandler, as we all know, waited for over two years so that he could have his big-money match against Conor McGregor. Things looked like they could materialize at UFC 303, but in the wake of that plan falling flat on his face, ‘Iron’ had had enough of sitting on the sidelines. The former Bellator champion decided to make his return at UFC 309 in a rematch against Charles Oliveira to avenge his earlier loss, but could not.

The fight gave us a memorable moment involving Michael Chandler slamming Charles Oliveira to the mat while the Brazilian was piggybacking on him. But what fans and the community found strange was ‘Iron’s claim that he can beat ‘Do Bronxs’ ninety percent of the occasions they fight, even though he lost both fights to the Brazilian.

“I believe I beat Charles Oliveira nine times out of ten. Obviously, I’ve lost to him twice now. Two out of two,” said Michael Chandler, as it resurfaced on Reddit. Well, Chandler knew that fans may think that he’s talking out of order, claiming, “I have a 100 percent loss rate to Charles Oliveira, so I understand why people might roll their eyes at that.” But that didn’t stop him from saying what he seemed to truly believe in.

Interestingly, Oliveira’s two wins over Chandler are often cited among his most dramatic, coming from behind in both cases to finish the fight, further challenging Chandler’s “9 out of 10” claim.

Well, Charles Oliveira hasn’t mentioned much about Michael Chandler after the fight. However, he did call out the former Bellator champion, although indirectly, for some of the unfair moves ‘Iron’ used in their rematch.

Charles Oliveira urges Michael Chandler to be more ‘professional’

The Brazilian star claims that he doesn’t like to point fingers at those who compete in the UFC but often cheat during the fight. Of course, this was directed at Michael Chandler, as he revealed the many instances when ‘Iron’ hit him on the back of the head, grabbed the fence, and even poked Charles Oliveira in the eye. Without showing any signs of conflict with Chandler, the former lightweight champion urged all the fighters to compete as professionals do.

“I don’t want to criticize anyone, but I was hit too many times behind the head. He grabbed the cage a lot. I was poked in the eye too many times. We’re becoming more professionals every time more, and we don’t need any of that,” said Charles Oliveira after UFC 309. Putting the referee on blast for not intervening, he added, ” I think the referee could have been more severe. I told him many times what was going on, and he stood there looking like nothing was happening.”

Additionally, UFC 317 is a pivotal moment for both fighters. Oliveira, boasting 20 finishes in the UFC, has set the all-time record and is gunning for a shot at becoming a two-time undisputed champion—a true rarity in the division. Topuria, meanwhile, is stepping up from featherweight as an undefeated sensation (16-0), and a lot of folks think this fight could be a real ‘changing of the guard’ moment if he comes out on top.

Here’s a little nugget for you: UFC 317 is set to take center stage at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, featuring the iconic commentary trio of Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier, and Jon Anik back in action, which usually means we’re in for a blockbuster event. Moreover, Ilia Topuria has switched camps after splitting from the Climent brothers, which raises some interesting questions about how he’ll adjust in his new weight class and training setup.

Well, it’s unsure at to what lies ahead for Michael Chandler now after he lost to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314. But with UFC 317 coming up, all eyes are on Ilia Topuria and, of course, Charles Oliveira. It’s International Fight Week, so fans are expecting some fireworks as we wait to see who comes out on top. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.