Michael Chandler brands Charles Oliveira his ‘most dangerous opponent’ but backs ‘pressure, presence and power’ to be perfect antidote for submission genius at UFC 262
- Michael Chandler takes on Charles Oliveira for lightweight title at UFC 262
- American made stunning debut in January with KO of Dan Hooker in Abu Dhabi
- He believes he has been the best lightweight on the planet for the last 10 years
- Chandler said Oliveira is most dangerous opponent he will have faced
Michael Chandler believes Charles Oliveira is his most dangerous opponent yet but backs himself to have the perfect style to beat the Brazilian.
Oliveira’s best route to the lightweight title in Houston at UFC 262 is his famed submission game and he has more to his name (14) than anyone else in the organisation’s history.
Chandler is well aware of the threats his 31-year-old opponent poses and outlined both his respect for the Brazilian and plan to beat him at the pre-fight press conference.
Michael Chandler (right) takes on Charles Oliveira (left) for the UFC lightweight title
The American made his debut in January and can now become the new lightweight champion
He said: ‘I think you’ve got to put him up there as probably the most dangerous opponent. Not just that though, I don’t look at the skills Charles brings to the table, I don’t look at the record, I don’t look at the submissions. I look at the fact that he’s had some loss streaks, I look at the fact that he’s been in the UFC almost as long as I’ve been fighting.
‘Charles is the most dangerous guy I will have faced in terms of grappling competition, however I have faced some very dangerous black belts.
‘My style is more, pressure, position, damage. My wrestling is more of an anti jiu-jitsu than actual wrestling offence style.
‘You’re going to feel my presence, my pressure and my power. I think I’m going to thwart every attack, make him second guess himself in every single exchange and I’ll be getting my hand raised on Saturday night.’
Chandler believes his wrestling is perfect to deny Oliveira submission opportunities
The 35-year-old continued: ‘He was just a young kid from Brazil with a glimmer in his eye, hoping to be a UFC champion one day. All of a sudden he has that opportunity.
‘I know we’re going to see the best Oliveira on Saturday night, I expect that, the fans expect that and we’ll put on a phenomenal show.’
When asked about whether his rapid ascent to a title shot after just one fight in the UFC was justified, Chandler added: ‘It feels like this was the way it was supposed to be scripted the entire time.
‘A lot of ups, a couple of downs but every road led me here, as soon as I made the decision, as soon as the door crept open a little bit, I said I was going to come in and kick the door down and prove what I’ve been saying over the last decade, that I believe I’m the best lightweight on the planet and on Saturday night I get to prove that.’
The 35-year-old promised to pile the pressure on Oliveira from the off on Saturday night
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement opened the door for a new champion and Dustin Poirier’s move to take on Conor McGregor in a more lucrative match-up worked perfectly in Chandler’s favour.
On whether he felt lucky to be given a big chance so soon into his UFC career, he said: ‘These days the word ‘deserve’ is a hard one to quantify. I’ve been in the sport for over a decade, it will be 13 years in August, my resume speaks for itself, I have dismantled two former UFC champions.
‘I love my resume, I love my past, I love my ups and I love my downs. I think the show I put on against Dan Hooker, doing in two-and-a-half minutes what Dustin Poirier and Paul Felder couldn’t do in 25 minutes, was indicative of getting this title shot, not to mention the fact that I came in, kicked down the door and said yes to every opportunity.’