Michael Chandler fights for the UFC belt this month at UFC 262 against Charles Oliveira. The fight against Oliveira will be Chandler’s second outing in the promotion. He defeated Dan Hooker via a 1st-round knockout in his debut at UFC 257, in January.
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Chandler came into the UFC as a multiple-time Bellator Lightweight Champion. The sky was the limit for him in his new organization.
He has always claimed he can hang in there against the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. What’s more, ‘Iron’ firmly believes he is the kryptonite that ‘The Eagle’ never had due to his complete arsenal.
After his win against ‘The Hangman’ in Abu Dhabi, Chandler called out Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov retired after UFC 254 with a record of 29-0. Chandler asked the former champion to beat him in his pledge to reach the coveted 30-0 record.
Stylistically, Chandler is a decorated wrestler and has sharp hands. He possesses one-punch knockout power and has the explosive abilities and lightning-quick speed to complement that. Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, is considered to be the greatest grappler to ever grace the octagon.
Michael Chandler vs Khabib Nurmagomedov: How would a fight between the duo go?
‘Iron’ might be one of the very few fighters who can stuff Nurmagomedov’s takedowns. Also, he might even be able to land some of his own takedowns on the Dagestani fighter.
But Nurmagomedov is a different breed. His pressure and ability to grind inside the octagon have overwhelmed every single one of his opponents to date. Therefore, it would be hard to say that he won’t be able to do the same to Chandler.
But as mentioned earlier, with his unique set of skills, Chandler could very well be able to trouble ‘The Eagle’. Anything can happen in a fight. However, if we are to analyze, it would be hard to make a reason against Nurmagomedov triumphing in any contest.
Who would win in a fight between ‘Iron‘ and ‘The Eagle‘? Let us know.
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