Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) needs to crown a new lightweight champion now that former division kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov has officially retired, so matchmakers have selected ex-Bellator MMA titleholder Michael Chandler and surging UFC lightweight veteran Charles Oliveira as (potentially) worthy successors to “The Eagle’s” throne.
Get more on that recent turn of events right here.
Oliveira (30-8, 1 NC) is the winner of eight straight with seven violent finishes, which is probably why “Do Bronx” jumped out to an early favorite for their UFC 262 pay-per-view (PPV) showdown, scheduled for May 15 at a city and venue to be determined.
BetOnline.ag has the data:
Charles Oliveira: -155 (20/31)
Michael Chandler: +135 (27/20)
Looks like this prediction came true.
Chandler (22-5) crossed over from the ranks of Bellator MMA and immediately put the division on notice with his first-round destruction of veteran contender Dan Hooker as part of the UFC 257 fight card back in January.
Expect these betting lines to shift — in both directions — as we get closer to fight night.