Eddie Alvarez will be watching when two of his former opponents throw down at UFC 268 in Madison Square Garden on Saturday evening. Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler will face off, in what appears to be a lightweight title eliminator, in New York this weekend. Ahead of the highly anticipated bout, Alvarez took to Twitter […]
Eddie Alvarez will be watching when two of his former opponents throw down at UFC 268 in Madison Square Garden on Saturday evening.
Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler will face off, in what appears to be a lightweight title eliminator, in New York this weekend. Ahead of the highly anticipated bout, Alvarez took to Twitter to give his prediction.
“True pick em. Gun to my head I’m leaning Justin because of the leg kicks and the fact Mike doesn’t have a great deal of D, Mike’s easiest path is the ground, He could dominate JG there. But it will stay standing and I’d say the second most violent man gets it done JG KO.”
True pick em .gun to my head I’m leaning Justin because of the leg kicks and the fact Mike doesn’t have a great deal of D, Mike’s easiest path is the ground , He could dominate JG there . But it will stay standing and I’d say The second most violent man gets it done JG KO
Eddie Alvarez’s History With Justin Gaethje & Michael Chandler
‘The Underground King’ was the first man to beat Gaethje in professional MMA. ‘The Highlight’ entered his fight with Alvarez with a perfect 18-0 record and was confident of keeping his streak going. On fight night, both men went back-and-forth in one of the best bouts of 2017 before Alvarez things with a picture-perfect knee.
In 2011, Alvarez lost in a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender against Michael Chandler who was able to get the submission win. Two years later Alvarez avenged that defeat via a split decision.
Since then, Alvarez has gone on to win and lose the UFC lightweight title. The 37-year-old is currently competing under the ONE Championship banner and has had a mixed bag of results since joining the Asian MMA promotion.
Alvarez suffered a shock first-round KO loss in his ONE debut at the hands of Timofey Nastyukhin. He then got back in the win column by submitting Eduard Folayang. Alvarez was then disqualified for hitting Iuri Lapicus with illegal strikes to the back of the head, however, that fight result has since been overturned to a no-content. Last time out, the former UFC and Bellator champion suffered a decision defeat against Ok Rae Yoon who has since gone on to become the ONE lightweight c
Do you agree with Eddie Alvarez? Will Justin Gaethje knock out Michael Chandler at UFC 268?
If Michael Chandler wants to take Justin Gaethje down, Gaethje thinks that may be to his detriment at UFC 268.
Gaethje and Chandler are set to square off on the main card of UFC 268, in a three-round fight with a lot at stake in the lightweight div…
If Michael Chandler wants to take Justin Gaethje down, Gaethje thinks that may be to his detriment at UFC 268.
Gaethje and Chandler are set to square off on the main card of UFC 268, in a three-round fight with a lot at stake in the lightweight division. The winner of the bout could get the next title shot against either Charles Oliveira or Dustin Poirier.
The matchup figures to be one of the most exciting fights of the year, but Gaethje is prepared for Chandler to attempt to take the easy way out during their bout. Both Gaethje and Chandler are vicious strikers, but also possess solid wrestling, which Gaethje is expecting Chandler to lean on early and often.
Justin Gaethje Expects A Wrestling Approach From Michael Chandler
During a recent sit down on UFC Unfiltered, Gaethje spoke about Chandler’s earlier comments about who may take the first step back in the Octagon.
“You know, he says the first one to take a step back is a timid soul,” Gaethje said. “There’s not one thing he can say that’s gonna affect the way that I approach this fight. I will take a step backward; he can shove it up his a**.
“Where you’re gonna see a timid soul is when I start kicking him and then he’s gonna start shooting for legs and trying to wrestle. And that’ll be his definition of a bitch, 100%. And that’s what we’ll see, I believe. I think that’s what we’ll see midway through the first round.”
Gaethje and Chandler are both looking for another shot at UFC gold after each lost title bouts in their previous outings. Gaethje fell to Khabib Nurmagomedov for the unified lightweight title at UFC 254, while Chandler lost to Oliveira for the vacant title earlier this year at UFC 262.
After rising lightweight contender Islam Makhachev earned another dominant win at UFC 267 over Dan Hooker, the pressure is now on Gaethje and Chandler to put on an equally eye-opening performance. UFC fans may expect major fireworks and a main event type of atmosphere for this matchup.
What is your prediction for Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler at UFC 268?
Michael Chandler is just as excited as fans are for his fight against Justin Gaethje.
On the stacked UFC 268 card next Saturday from Madison Square Garden, Chandler and Gaethje will lock horns in a highly-anticipated lightweight scrap. Both men lik…
Michael Chandler is just as excited as fans are for his fight against Justin Gaethje.
On the stacked UFC 268 card next Saturday from Madison Square Garden, Chandler and Gaethje will lock horns in a highly-anticipated lightweight scrap. Both men like to brawl and have one-punch KO power, so with that, Chandler knows this fight doesn’t even need to be promoted.
“This fight doesn’t even need to be advertised. This fight doesn’t even need to be promoted. Justin Gaethje: consummate professional, consummate warrior, always coming forward, never takes a backward step, always in entertaining fights; Michael Chandler: the exact same fighter, the exact same cloth that we were both cut from,” Chandler said to The Schmo.
“November 6, I think we’re the people’s main event. You’ve got the women’s title fight as a co-main event; Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington as the main event; but this is the people’s main event. This is the one that people are definitely gonna be just as excited about as a feature fight on the card.”
(via Zuffa LLC)
The stakes are also high for this one as the winner of Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 268 could very well earn the next lightweight title shot. Regardless, it’s a fan-friendly fight that both men have said they won’t take a step back in and are ready for a brawl.
Chandler enters this fight coming off a TKO loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 in May for the vacant lightweight title. He made good on his UFC debut back in January as he knocked out Dan Hooker in the first round at UFC 257.
Gaethje, meanwhile, has not fought since his submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedv for the lightweight strap back at UFC 254 in October 2020. Prior to that, he TKO’d Tony Ferguson to win the interim lightweight title.
Do you agree with Michael Chandler? Is his fight with Justin Gaethje the “People’s Main Event?”
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes fellow former title challenger Justin Gaethje had the same treatment from the UFC as he has in his 12 months with the promotion.
Chandler, a former three-time Bellator champion, arrived in the UFC…
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes fellow former title challenger Justin Gaethje had the same treatment from the UFC as he has in his 12 months with the promotion.
Chandler, a former three-time Bellator champion, arrived in the UFC last year. After serving as backup for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s final appearance at UFC 254, “Iron” made his long-awaited promotional debut at UFC 257 in January. In a tough first assignment, Chandler was matched up with the always-tough and entertaining Dan Hooker. In perhaps the most impressive and emphatic debut performances in UFC history, the 35-year-old finished “The Hangman” inside the first round.
After Khabib vacated the 155-pound belt, Chandler found himself fighting for gold in just his second Octagon outing. He faced UFC veteran Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 in May. Despite coming inches away from capturing gold in the opening frame, Chandler was finished on the feet in the second round.
While “Do Bronx” gets set for his first title defense against Dustin Poirier, Chandler will be looking to secure his status as number one contender with an impressive performance this weekend against Justin Gaethje. The pair will meet on the main card of a stacked UFC 268 event inside Madison Square Garden.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVvBj5MNOe4/
Chandler Draws Parallels Between His & Gaethje’s UFC Treatment
Like Chandler, Gaethje’s last appearance saw him fall short of the lightweight mountaintop. “The Highlight” was the final man to challenge the dominance of Khabib. The former interim champion has been without an opponent since his submission loss to the Dagestani last year.
Gaethje has made it public knowledge that he was, and still is, unhappy that he wasn’t selected to fight for the vacant belt at UFC 262. In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Chandler suggested his own inclusion in the May pay-per-view’s main event is the root of a legitimate dislike that his upcoming opponent holds for him.
“There is also some legitimacy to, I think, why he doesn’t like me. I will sit here and admit, when ever there was a pool, whenever Khabib retired and there was a pool of all of us, Justin Gaethje might have deserved to fight for the title more than me, more than Charles Oliveira, so I think there’s some resentment there, which is completely fine, completely warranted. I would have thought the exact same thing.”
Discussing his entry into the UFC, Chandler said he asked for the best guys in the weight class in order to test himself and see if he was as good as he thought. He admitted that attitude brought him opportunities that upset people, including Gaethje.
“I have come into the UFC and made a splash. I didn’t ask for a splash, I came in and just said, ‘Hey, I want a top guy right away so I can either go ahead and get knocked out and end this career and I wasn’t as good as I thought I was, or maybe I am that good.’ That’s all I wanted to do… I’ve gotten some opportunities and I think that’s rubbed some people the wrong way. I think that’s rubbed Justin Gaethje the wrong way.”
Despite that, Chandler believes his scenario is very similar to Gaethje’s when he first joined the UFC. Suggesting the pair have experienced the same level of “Dana White privilege,” Chandler cited Gaethje’s clash with Eddie Alvarez and the host of opportunities “The Highlight” has had in the promotion as the reasons his foe shouldn’t look down on the #4-ranked contender’s fortunes.
“I believe Justin Gaethje got the same amount of ‘preferential’ treatment, the same of ‘Dana White privilege’, the same amount of what ever you wanna call it. He came from outside the UFC, came in, got a top-five guy right away. If he would’ve beat Eddie Alvarez, he would have got a title shot. But he lost to Eddie Alvarez, which made him go fight another couple fights. He’s been in some big commercials, he’s been in big fights, he’s headlined cards. He and I have had very similar roads. I think he deserved it because he earned it. He probably, in his heart of hearts, really truly believes that I have deserved it and earned it. But he needs to convince himself that I am seeking attention… or that I’m a fake and a phony.”
At UFC 268 this Saturday, Michael Chandler will look to prove his place in the lightweight top five is down to his own abilities, rather than favor from the UFC brass.
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 268, Michael Chandler or Justin Gaethje?
Michael Chandler has revealed how he’d like his fight with Justin Gaethje to pan out when the duo meet at UFC 268 on November 6.
Chandler and Gaethje will be looking to rebound back into the win column after both men failed to clinch UFC gold in th…
Michael Chandler has revealed how he’d like his fight with Justin Gaethje to pan out when the duo meet at UFC 268 on November 6.
Chandler and Gaethje will be looking to rebound back into the win column after both men failed to clinch UFC gold in their most recent outings. Gaethje hasn’t fought in over a year since playing a reluctant supporting act in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s UFC swansong. Chandler, meanwhile, has fought twice in that time, earning a first-round TKO of Dan Hooker in January before being TKO’d himself by Charles Oliveira in their battle for the vacant lightweight title in May.
With lightweight champ Oliveira set to make his first title defense against Dustin Poirier on December 12, #4 ranked Chandler and #2 Gaethje will be fighting for a likely title shot during their Madison Square Garden showdown on November 6. There are, however, other likely contenders. Islam Makhachev, if he triumphs over Dan Hooker at UFC 267, could get the nod. And there’s also #3-ranked Beneil Dariush waiting in the wings.
Chandler Pays Respect To Gaethje, Reveals Ideal Win Scenario
Despite the mutual dislike, Chandler has recently paid respect to the formidable challenge which Gaethje poses, telling The MMA Hour that he’s preparing for the hardest fight of his life.
“I think you always prepare for a long, drawn-out war,” Chandler said in an (h/t MMA FIGHTING). “I think you always prepare for a guy that you just can’t finish, a guy that just continues to come forward with everything you hit him with — and Justin Gaethje is that. You’re kidding yourself if you don’t think that Justin Gaethje is not just violent and not just skilled, but man, the dude has cardio and heart in droves. So I’m preparing for 15 hard, hard minutes. The hardest fight of my life.”
Michael Chandler, Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Gaethje has said that his game plan against Chandler will be to “break this dude as fast as possible, as violently as possible.” And Chandler, despite preparing for a 15-minute war, is harboring similar intentions, revealing that his ideal win scenario is a quick KO.
“But I think best-case scenario I land one pretty darn hard on his temple or his chin and put him out,” said Chandler. “But that’s what every fighter wants. You want the knockout and you want the quick, easy paycheck, of course, but you’ve got to be ready for that 15-minute war. And if I had to guess, I think if there’s a finish it’s happening later on, second or third round, because I think both of us are just not going to get hit with anything too crazy clean in order to get finished. But that’s what I’m preparing for. We’ll see.”
What do you think? Will Michael Chandler make quick work of Justin Gaethje?
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler has his eyes still set on UFC gold ahead of his fight with Justin Gaethje.
Chandler is looking to get back on track in the lightweight title picture after losing the vacant lightweight title to Charles Oli…
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler has his eyes still set on UFC gold ahead of his fight with Justin Gaethje.
Chandler is looking to get back on track in the lightweight title picture after losing the vacant lightweight title to Charles Oliveira at UFC 262. After a strong start to the fight, he was TKO’d in Round 2 in his first UFC title shot.
Chandler got off to a great start to his UFC tenure with a vicious knockout of Dan Hooker at UFC 257. His fight with Gaethje on the UFC 268 main card figures to be one of the most exciting bouts of the event.
Despite recently falling short of the belt, Chandler believes a win over Gaethje would propel him to face the Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier winner.
Michael Chandler Lost To Charles Oliveira At UFC 262
Charles Oliveira, Michael Chandler, UFC 262
“I think it’s a title shot next,” Chandler said during a recent interview with MMA journalist Helen Yee. “Charles Oliveira hadn’t lost a round (since) 2017 until I came in and 10-8’d him and almost finished him in the first round of our title fight. I take full responsibility for that loss. I was pretty close to winning, but I didn’t win, so I gotta take that L like a man.
“So there are some options out there,” Chandler continued. “But, either way, [I have to] take care of business [on] November 6, and I think it’s gonna play itself out the way it needs to.”
Gaethje returns to the Octagon to face Chandler after about a year away from the sport. He last fought against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254, losing the lightweight title bout by second-round submission.
Chandler signed with the UFC early last year after a long run in Bellator that included a brief stint as the lightweight champion. He holds wins over big names such as Patricky Freire, Brent Primus, and Benson Henderson.
Oliveira and Poirier will fight for the lightweight title at UFC 269, and the winner of Gaethje vs. Chandler could certainly be next in line for the next shot at UFC gold.
What is your prediction for Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 268?
