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Ever since Michael Chandler stepped into the UFC arena, he has become a fan favorite and has been consistently ranked highly, despite his current record of two wins and three losses. Known for his thrilling and engaging fights, Chandler never fails to bring excitement to the octagon.
Chandler's Pursuit of the Title
Chandler's passion for putting on an electrifying show is what sets him apart from other fighters. Although this drive has resulted in some losses, it has not deterred him from his pursuit of the UFC title.
In his first shot at the belt, Chandler came close to dethroning the then-champion, Charles Oliveira, but fell just short.
A New Challenge: Islam Makhachev
With Islam Makhachev now holding the title, Chandler has set his sights on the Russian-Dagestani fighter.
In an interview with "Believe You Me," Chandler confidently stated that he believes he could defeat Makhachev in a wrestling match: “I’m not in a position to talk about how badly I would beat Islam in a wrestling match, but if I was going to wrestle Islam, I do believe [I’d win].
They’re just two completely different styles and I didn’t wrestle a lot of international [guys], quite frankly, but I think with the Russian-Dagestani guys that I have wrestled in my gym — that I’m not saying hold a candle to Islam — it’s a different style.
" Chandler went on to explain his belief that good old-fashioned American wrestling is effective against Makhachev's style, as long as one can withstand their hand-fighting: “In my opinion, good old-fashioned American wrestling works very well against it as long as you’re able to withstand that hand-fighting,” he continued.
“They are very strong and I imagine Islam is very strong in that hand-fighting category. They just feel different when they grab you. But I think I beat Islam in a wrestling match”. It is unclear if these two fighters will ever face each other in a wrestling match, but for now, the MMA community eagerly awaits the outcome of any potential fight between the two.