Michael Chandler will lastly re-enter the octagon later this 12 months, and it gained’t be his long-awaited match with Conor McGregor. As a substitute, he rematches Charles Oliveira in a five-round co-main occasion bout at UFC 309 on Nov. 16. The Brazilian gained’t criticize him for staying on the sidelines so lengthy ready for “The Infamous”.
The UFC formally introduced Chandler and McGregor as The Final Fighter season 31 coaches again in February 2023, a present that solely aired almost 4 months later. Quick ahead 16 months, and a number of other cancelled plans in between, and Chandler is formally not combating McGregor.
“It’s difficult as a result of we’re not in his sneakers and nobody is aware of what was negotiated,” Oliveira mentioned in an interview with MMA Preventing. “If he waited two years with out getting paid something, in order that’s two years away. However do you suppose somebody would wait [without getting paid]? They did TUF, so he undoubtedly made some cash there. Was he paid his present cash when Conor pulled out [of UFC 303]? So, in actuality, individuals speak and speak and speak, however nobody is aware of what the truth is.
“I’m not right here to criticize anybody. If he waited, that’s as a result of it was good for him. I hope it was good for him as a result of two years with no fights is quite a bit and Chandler has a household to offer to, and when you could have a household to offer to, a small little one, you must make issues occur, so I hope it went properly for him.”
Though he gained’t criticize Chandler for his selections, Oliveira most likely wouldn’t have completed the identical — particularly understanding how a lot he likes to compete, and the way a lot that point away can have an effect on your efficiency if you return.
“I can converse just for myself, and I don’t really feel the timing of the combat after I’m away for thus lengthy,” mentioned Oliveira, who final entered the cage in April of 2024, dropping an in depth cut up choice to Arman Tsarukyan. “I like to remain on rhythm and competing, you already know? After all, not taking one combat proper after the opposite as a result of that is MMA and we’re breaking one another day-after-day, however I really feel prefer it takes a while to seek out myself after I’m away for too lengthy. Chandler hasn’t fought in two years, and I don’t know the way he’s doing, if he was resting of not.”
Chandler has doubtless completed a couple of full camp getting ready particularly for McGregor after seeing the combat pushed again a number of occasions, and Oliveira has a unique combating type. The duo battled for a vacant title again at UFC 262 in 2021, and Oliveira was dropped earlier than coming again and ending Chandler with punches early in spherical two.
“He’s nonetheless an explosive man who walks ahead,” Oliveira mentioned of Chandler. “We all know we have now to remain centered like we’ve been in my final fights, not worrying about what my opponent can deliver to the cage and extra on what I can deliver. We’ll watch our final combat, and his current one, so we are able to impose the rhythm and do my sport and placed on a terrific combat. Like I mentioned, he’s very explosive, very harmful, and he hits laborious, so we have now to plan issues out proper to get there 100% for the combat.”
With Tsarukyan doubtless subsequent for UFC gold towards champion Islam Makhachev in early 2025, Oliveira mentioned he hopes to place himself according to a victory over Chandler, however is aware of a McGregor match-up is also on the horizon. He, nonetheless, would somewhat embrace an opportunity to re-gain UFC gold somewhat that combat “The Infamous” subsequent after UFC 309.
“Am I subsequent in line if I beat McGregor? If that’s the plan, then I’m 100% in. However when you say, ‘No, you must select one of many two,’ I’m undoubtedly going for the title,” Oliveira mentioned. “If I’ve the chance to combat Conor and we make some huge cash, as a result of he sells quite a bit and so do I — and we might undoubtedly forehead the roofs off with this pay-per-view —, to not point out the cash off the purse, and I’m nonetheless subsequent for the belt, I might undoubtedly do it. Why not?”
“[My managers Diego Lima and Jorge Patino] know what my plan is, I would like the fights that take me to the belt,” he continued. “I’ve been posting quite a bit nowadays, ‘ready for the boss to name’, and the UFC undoubtedly sees that. Diego and ‘Macaco’ got here with the Chandler combat, and I’m undoubtedly a lot nearer to the title with a win over Chandler. I’ll simply keep centered now. Chandler is tremendous powerful and deserves all of the respect. He is aware of how a lot I respect and look after him, so it’s undoubtedly going to be a terrific combat.”
