Michael Chandler predicts victory over Islam Makhachev: ‘Missouri wrestling beats Dagestani Sambo’

Michael Chandler predicts victory over Islam Makhachev: ‘Missouri wrestling beats Dagestani Sambo’

Ahead of his overdue return to action at UFC 309, Michael Chandler has once more predicted a win over pound-for-pound number one and lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev — touting his wrestling background as more effective than the Russian’s dominant Sambo arsenal.

Chandler, the current number six ranked lightweight contender, will snap a two-year hiatus from the Octagon later this year in the co-main event of UFC 309, taking on soon-to-be two-time foe, Charles Oliveira in their five round rematch at Madison Square Garden.

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As for Makhachev, the Makhackhala native was ruled from a UFC 308 return at the end of next month amid an unspecified arm injury, seeing a targeted rematch for the title against the surging number one contender, Arman Tsarukyan fall to the wayside.

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Islam Makhachev
Image via: Getty

Michael Chandler predicts win against lightweight king, Islam Makhachev

Hoping to move into title contention with a victory over Oliveira to avenge a loss three years prior, Chandler has once more talked up a potential grudge fight for the crown against Makhachev, fancying his chances of toppling the Russian in the wrestling department.

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“It would be a big fight,” Michael Chandler said of a matchup with Islam Makhachev during an interview with MMA Fighting. “Islam doesn’t want to fight some of these guys that he has fought before, he wants new blood. And I am that guy. I think I’ve got a great style to beat Islam, as I said, good old-fashioned, passionate, hardworking Missouri division-one wrestling beats Dagestani Sambo every day of the week. I got dynamite in my hands, I got cardio for days, I can push the pace, I believe I beat Islam.”

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I believe I fight and beat Islam in early 2025,” Michael Chandler explained. “I do think Islam runs through Arman (Tsarukyan) in my opinion, because I want him to look like the baddest man on the planet, pound-for-pound number one when I got take his throne.”