Off the back of his Fight of the Night honors earning UFC 281 clash with American Top Team staple, Dustin Poirier earlier this month, lightweight contender, Michael Chandler has fielded a potential future fight against BMF championship holder, Jorge Masvidal – at the welterweight limit.
Featuring on the main card of UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden earlier this month, one-time vacant lightweight title challenger, Chandler, suffered an eventual third round rear-naked choke submission loss against former interim titleholder, Poirier.
Starting brightly and capitalizing off an inadvertent clash of heads in the opening round, Missouri veteran, Chandler stunned Poirier at the fence, before utilizing his wrestling to bring the fight to the Octagon canvas.
Giving up his back during an third round scramble, Chandler was submitted in the third round by Poirier – who snatched up a rear-naked choke win, and returned to the winner’s enclosure following a December submission loss of his own against former champion, Charles Oliveira.
Michael Chandler suggests surprising fight with Jorge Masvidal
Weighing up potential opponents for his next UFC walk, Chandler name-dropped former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor again, suggesting a July clash during International Fight Week, before suggesting a welterweight BMF title fight against Masvidal.
“You tell me who the BMF is right now in the UFC?” Michael Chandler asked during an interview with ESPN MMA. “You tell me who the BMF is – you tell me who the fans – if we did a poll right now, who is the baddest mother fudger (sic) in the UFC?”
.@MikeChandlerMMA vs. @GamebredFighter would be EPIC
(via @bokamotoESPN) pic.twitter.com/refbFhAby4
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 20, 2022
“Tell me that wouldn’t get the juices flowing of the entire mixed martial arts world; Michael Chandler versus Jorge Masvidal for the BMF belt,” Michael Chandler continued. “‘The Rock’ walking in with it over his shoulder – and then handing it to me 15 minutes later.”
In the midst of a three fight losing skid, veteran Florida native, Masvidal has suffered back-to-back losses to former champion, Kamaru Usman – while he most recently dropped a decision loss to former interim titleholder, Colby Covington in March of this year.