Michael Chandler may be sticking to his guns and patiently awaiting a fight with UFC star, Conor McGregor, however, that hasn’t stopped the Missouri native from chasing a future title challenge with incumbent gold holder, Islam Makhachev.
Chandler, the current number six ranked lightweight contender, remains sidelined since 2022, in a period which saw him compete an impressive five times inside the Octagon since his debut in the organization just the January of the year prior.
Awaiting a long-drawn out fight with former two-weight champion, McGregor, Chandler, a former three-time Bellator MMA lightweight kingpin has yet to fight since he dropped a third round rear-naked choke loss to recent UFC 299 victor, Poirier at Madison Square Garden in the pair’s grudge match.
Competing for a lightweight crown during that five fight stretch, Kill Cliff FC staple, Chandler – who has proven a favorable asset to the Dana White-led organization, was stopped with a brutal come-from-behind knockout from Charles Oliveira in the pair’s vacant title pairing.
Islam Makhachev receives warning from Michael Chandler
Maintaining he is the kryptonite to current champion, Makhachev due to his own wrestling pedigree, Chandler claimed he still plans to stand across from the Russian in the near future in another title siege.
Thanks for the unsolicited advice @MAKHACHEVMMA – I sleep just fine at night… I have a plan and you’re part of it, champ,” Michael Chandler posted on his official X account today.
Himself yet to make the walk since October of last year, pound-for-pound king, Makhachev has been sidelined since he ended his rivalry with Alexander Volkanovski with a hellacious opening round high-kick KO win.
Turning down a UFC 300 return in a monstrous main event welterweight title charge against Leon Edwards due to his participation in the religious period of Ramadan, Makhachev has sights on a June return to the Octagon, instead.
And in terms of potential opponents, the American Kickboxing Academy has sounded out a fight with the aforenoted, Poirier – who is fresh from a KO win over Benoit Saint-Denis earlier this month – candidly taking notice of his patented guillotine choke chases.
Who wins in a potential future fight: Islam Makhachev or Michael Chandler?