Michael Chandler claims he 'blacked out' during intense final face-off with Charles Oliveira ahead of UFC 309
Yesterday at 08:53 PM
It might be GOAT vs GOAT in the main event of UFC 309, but almost every single MMA fan out there knows that Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic won't be the best fight of the night at Madison Square Garden.
That accolade will more than likely go to the co-main event of the evening; a lightweight title eliminator between former champion Charles 'do Bronx' Oliveira and ever-inspirational American, 'Iron' Michael Chandler.
Michael Chandler claims he 'blacked out' during final face-off with Charles Oliveira
From MMA to boxing, there are plenty of intense and exciting fights going down this weekend in the world of combat sports, none more so than the UFC 309 co-main event between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler.
That intensity almost came to a boiling point earlier this evening when the pair of lightweight superstars faced off for the final time at the UFC 309 ceremonial weigh-ins.
Whilst neither Oliveira nor Chandler backed down from the stare-down, the former Bellator world champion would later claim that he completely "blacked out" during the face-off with 'do Bronx'.
"Yeah, I blacked out but that's how these things go man," Chandler told Megan Olivi via ESPN MMA after the event came to a close.
"You're just out there and feeling it – all I know is that the energy at MSG is always here… I respect the heck out of Charles, and he respects the heck out of me so we're going to blow the roof off the place."
UFC 309 will be the second time that the two superstars have faced each other in the octagon, with the Brazilian having scored a famous second-round knockout in their first fight back in 2021.
"I had two and a half minutes of UFC octagon experience at UFC 262 in Houston when Charles Olivera shattered my dreams to become the number one guy in the world," Chandler shared on the difference between that first bout and their upcoming rematch at UFC 309.
"At that point, he had 20 UFC fights, a decorated UFC star, he became the champion that night… I don't have that; therefore, I am hungrier than him, I do believe I do things correctly – not just right, but completely over-the-top… Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
"I've grown as an individual, I think that I'm going be the better man on Saturday night. I think he's dangerous everywhere but a more calculated approach by me is going to get my hand raised."
Chandler had previously predicted that he’s going to "separate Charles Oliveira from consciousness" at UFC 309 and that his goal is to bring the 'quitters' mentality' out of the fan-favorite Brazilian.
Can Chandler make good on his words? Find out tomorrow night – UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic goes down live from Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 16.
