UFC President Dana White has hinted that Michael Chandler‘s next fight may be against Justin Gaethje.
The number four-ranked lightweight contender has had an explosive start to his UFC career in 2021, beginning with a stunning knockout victory over Dan Hooker at UFC 257.
Chandler came within a hair’s breadth of defeating Charles Oliveira for the 155-pound championship, only to be stopped in the second round by a fantastic rally from ‘Do Bronx.’
Possibility of Chandler vs. Gaethje bout?
In a recent interview, Dana White said, “There’s a few options, a few opportunities. He could fight Gaethje, we’ll see. We don’t have anything done yet but that makes sense. That’d be a fun fight. Imagine Chandler and Gaethje!”
Gaethje hasn’t fought in the UFC since being defeated by Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 249 in October 2020, leaving many to wonder if and when ‘The Highlight’ will return.
Despite his loss, he is still generally regarded as one of the most entertaining fighters in the entire promotion, if not all of mixed martial arts.
Chandler, on the other hand, isn’t getting any younger and has said in the past that he’s “here for a good time, not a long time.” He’s faced two extremely tough rivals, and despite only going 1-1 in those fights, his stock has risen significantly despite falling short of becoming a UFC champion.
Mike stated unequivocally that he still thinks he can keep the gold over the next twelve months, but a lot will have to go his way for that to happen.
Chandler is a goal-oriented guy, which has helped him get to where he is in this sport, but he is also proving himself as a businessman.
Read more: Top 3: Potential contenders for Michael Chandler following Charles Oliveira defeat