(UTV | BRAZIL) – Newcomer Michael Chandler has told critics he deserves a UFC title shot but admits he is the “beneficiary of some interesting circumstances”.
The American, who turned 35 last month, joined the UFC last September after 10 years with rival promotion Bellator.
And in just his second UFC fight in Houston on Saturday, Chandler faces Brazilian Charles Oliveira, 31, for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 262.
“Timing is everything,” he said. “I couldn’t have scripted it any better.”
After being a three-time world champion with Bellator, Chandler joined one of the most competitive divisions in the UFC, with one of its most dominant champions in Khabib Nurmagomedov. Yet suddenly the lightweight division opened up.
Nurmagomedov retired unbeaten after stopping Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 last October, Oliveira beat Tony Ferguson in December and Chandler announced his arrival by knocking out Dan Hooker at UFC 257 to go straight to fifth in the lightweight rankings.