UFC 262 Headed For Live Crowd In Houston

The upcoming lightweight title fight between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler at UFC 262 is headed to Houston, Tex., per a recent announcement by the promotion.

The event will take place on May 15 from inside Toyota Center and air live on ESPN+ PPV in front of a sold-out crowd (no COVID-19 restrictions for this one). Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning April 2.

This main event between Oliveira and Chandler materialized following the official retirement of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov on Thursday. Khabib’s decision to walk away has left the 155-pound title vacate. While UFC had other potential contenders in line such as Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson, and Beneil Dariush, all of those guys are tied up one way or another.

Oliveira, 31, arguably deserves this title shot over anyone else in the division. The UFC veteran has won his last eight trips to the Octagon and is coming off a stellar decision win over Ferguson in December 2020. In total, “Do Bronx” has five submission finishes during his current streak and two knockouts. He’s become one of the best lightweights in the world today and a guy who can shut down anyone in the top 5.

Chandler, 34, made a massive Octagon debut at UFC 257 this past January when he squashed lightweight contender Dan Hooker with a first-round knockout. While Chandler is better known for his championship days under the Bellator MMA banner the veteran fighter is more than capable of making a real run at gold in UFC. After all, he has the wrestling to stifle Oliveira’s attacks and the punching power to finish him on the feet.

It should be a good matchup either way and one that will take place in front of a live crowd, which is something Chandler has yet to experience in his short UFC career.

Stick with Mania for more UFC 262 fight card news.