Michael Chandler promises fireworks at UFC 309.
Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) runs things back with Charles Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC) in the Nov. 16 co-main event at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Chandler’s five UFC appearances have included four bonuses, and he sees the opportunity to avenge his loss to Oliveira no differently. He even warned said he will outshine UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones just before Jones makes his first title defense against former champ Stipe Miocic.
“It’s a huge blessing to be considered for the Madison Square Garden card. They don’t just throw anybody on the Madison Square Garden card,” Chandler told the New York Post. “The UFC puts guys and gals on the fight card that are going to put on a great show.
“I saw Jon Jones at UFC 306 at the Sphere. We said hi, took a picture together, you know, the main and co-main and he’s like, ‘Hey, man, make sure you save some excitement for me because I’m the main event.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, probably not, man. I’m coming to steal the show.'”
Chandler hasn’t competed since a submission loss to Dustin Poirier in November 2022. He was scheduled to welcome Conor McGregor back to the octagon at UFC 303 in June, but McGregor withdrew due to injury. It’s been a long time without competing for Chandler, with many criticizing him for wasting his time by waiting on McGregor.
But after all these wars, Chandler looks at the time off as a blessing in disguise.
“Having that much time off, I needed it. I really needed it,” Chandler said. “Six training camps in a 26-month period, every single fight was do or die. Top three, top-five guy, world title fights, Fights of the Night, Fights of the Year, and I love the sport. I am so blessed to do the sport of mixed martial arts as a professional and get paid for it and feed my family with it, but it was taking a toll on me. I needed some time off.”
In his first fight with Oliveira, Chandler came close to tasting UFC gold when he dropped and badly hurt him. However, “Do Bronx” was able to rally and stop Chandler by TKO just 19 seconds into Round 2 to claim the vacant title at UFC 262.
Chandler vows things will be different in their rematch.
“I just wasn’t where I needed to be,” Chandler said of his first fight with Oliveira. “I went in there very confident, I put in a great training camp, but I went out there to try and kill Charles Oliveira in the first second of the first round, 10-8’d him in the first round, and I just wasn’t able to keep that pace.
“I made a bad decision, put myself in some bad spots. I wasn’t fighting to the best of my ability, and I’ve since fixed all of those things, mainly mentally and spiritually, and I just think it’s going to be a masterful performance. I think I’m going to surgically and systematically break this man down until he looks for the exit sign.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.
