Ahead of their highly anticipated rematch at UFC 309, the buzz surrounding Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler is reaching a fever pitch. The two fighters, who first clashed at UFC 262 in 2021, will meet again in a potential lightweight title eliminator. Leading up to the event, Chandler has made waves with claims that he’s a “new and improved” version of himself. But ‘Do Bronx’ is not buying it.
In an interview with ESPN MMA, the former lightweight champion was quick to dismiss Chandler’s self-proclaimed “2.0” status. Oliveira argues that, at his core, Chandler is always going to be the same fighter: explosive, aggressive, and driven by emotion.
“All you have to do is watch [Chandler’s] fights, that’s who he is. He’s always aggressive, he’s always going to go forward, he can’t help but be himself…That’s who [Chandler] is always going to be. Always very explosive, always very aggressive, a guy who’s got a very strong first round,” said Oliveira [Translated by Fabiano Buskei].
This is a familiar storyline in MMA, where fighters often talk up their “new” selves ahead of big matchups. But as Charles Oliveira pointed out, it’s tough to change a fighter’s true nature.
Whether Chandler has truly changed or not, Charles Oliveira seems confident that his opponent’s wild, all-or-nothing style will be his undoing once again. And if history repeats itself, it could very well be another painful night for Michael Chandler in the octagon.
Michael Chandler Believes That He Will Make Charles Oliveira Quit Like He Used To In The Past
As UFC 309 draws closer, Chandler is making it clear that he plans to settle the score with Oliveira in a big way. Their upcoming rematch is one of the most anticipated bouts on the card, and Chandler isn’t shy about his intentions.
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After losing to Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 in 2021, Chandler has been vocal about his confidence heading into their second meeting. But what stands out the most is his belief that he can push Oliveira to the breaking point, even suggesting that he’ll make ‘Do Bronx ‘quit—something he believes Oliveira is still capable of, deep down.
“I think that quit is still in there. It’s just stuffed a little bit further down in there. It’s going to take a little bit more to be able to pull it out…So that’s my goal on Saturday night. Push him to that point, make him find the exit sign, look for the exit sign, and me ushering him toward it,” said Chandler via MMA Fighting.
In their first fight, Chandler had Charles Oliveira on the ropes, nearly knocking him out in the first round. But Oliveira came back in the second round and finished Chandler, capturing the vacant lightweight title. The result was a brutal reminder of Oliveira’s toughness, silencing critics who had questioned his heart and mental toughness in the past. However, Chandler seems convinced that there’s still a part of Oliveira that could fold under pressure.
