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Michael Chandler has shifted his focus from a potential fight with Conor McGregor to a highly anticipated rematch with former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. The two will square off at UFC 309, scheduled for November 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York. This five-round showdown offers Chandler a chance to avenge his loss to Oliveira, who defeated him by second-round stoppage to claim the vacant lightweight title at UFC 262.
Chandler (23-8), after nearly two years of waiting for a fight with McGregor, has decided to move forward. "I’m done waiting," Chandler told fans in a YouTube video, confirming the report by Robbie Fox of Barstool Sports. UFC CEO Dana White echoed this sentiment, stating that Chandler was ready to take another fight and that McGregor could be a future option.
The long-awaited Chandler vs. McGregor matchup seemed inevitable after their coaching stint on "The Ultimate Fighter" in early 2023. Initially, they were slated to meet at UFC 303 in June, but the fight was postponed after McGregor broke his toe. Now, Chandler’s focus is squarely on Oliveira, but the McGregor bout remains a possibility down the line.
Charles Oliveira (34-10) has had a tumultuous run since their first encounter. After defeating Chandler for the lightweight title, Oliveira defended it successfully against Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. However, he lost his belt due to a weight miss and later suffered a submission loss to Islam Makhachev in a vacant title bid.
Most recently, Oliveira knocked out Beneil Dariush in the first round at UFC 289 but followed it with a narrow split decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300. This rematch with Chandler offers both fighters a chance to regain momentum in the division, as Oliveira looks to reassert himself in the lightweight title picture, and Chandler aims to avenge his earlier defeat.
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