In the UFC 309 co-main event this Saturday, Charles Oliveira handed Michael Chandler his second loss in a row after an enthralling back-and-forth five-round war.
This Saturday at UFC 309, Michael Chandler returned to the Octagon for the first time in over two years when he looked to avenge his 2021 loss against Charles Oliveira.
‘Iron’ Chandler was, of course, scheduled to fight Conor McGregor following their inclusion in The Ultimate Fighter, however, after continuous delays, Chandler opted to take a different fight.
Charles Oliveira hands Michael Chandler loss after UFC 309 war
The 38-year-old was convinced that with a win over ‘Do Bronx’ at UFC 309, he would secure himself the next lightweight title shot against the winner of Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan.
However, getting through the former lightweight champion proved harder than Chandler would’ve hoped, and the Brazilian showcased that he is still a challenger in the 155lb division.
After seemingly suffering an eye-poke early on in the fight, Oliveira shook it off and began to put on his patented forward pressure, causing Chandler problems early on.
Shortly after, the 35-year-old landed a huge takedown and controlled the majority of the round in full mount while Chandler just looked to stay out of the way of any submissions.
The following three rounds went extremely similarly with Chandler landing the more significant strikes in the exchanges, whilst also managing to get the fight to the ground whenever he decided to.
Two more rounds on the table 👀 #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/2UDmXxkzpr
— UFC (@ufc) November 17, 2024
Despite that, in the final round, the American landed a huge punch that put Oliveira uncomfortably against the cage. The Brazilian attempted a takedown but it was reversed by Chandler who began reigning down hellacious ground-and-pound.
Although the majority of Chandler’s strikes seemingly landed on the back of Oliveira’s head, the referee didn’t issue a warning and was close to stepping in and calling the fight but the Brazilian just about hung in there.
Michael Chandler reverts back to Conor McGregor callout following UFC 309 loss
The 38-year-old was hopeful of picking up a win and being able to finally compete for undisputed UFC gold, however, following his loss, he reverted back to his old rival, McGregor.
“Madison Square Garden, are you not entertained?” Chandler asked when he was given the microphone by Joe Rogan.
“Hey, I had a bunch of callouts, I was supposed to show up tonight, do my job, and win the fight, forget calling out Islam, Charles is doing that next. Maybe Max Holloway for the BMF belt.
“Or, Conor McGregor, if you can ever get your house back in order while us real professionals have been keeping the Octagon warm, we’re wondering where you’ve been, Conor. Come back and beat me, if you can!” Chandler said.
MICHAEL CHANDLER CALLS OUT CONOR MCGREGOR!!! #UFC309 https://t.co/BLuutXwEJr
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 17, 2024
Typically, ‘The Notorious’ is extremely active on social media during big UFC PPV Fight Nights. However, the Irishman has yet to comment on Chandler’s performance against Oliveira.