Michael Chandler made a gamble by deciding to wait for Conor McGregor for over a year. Now, he’s making an even bigger gamble, accepting a five-round fight against Charles Oliveira. This is a rematch of epic proportions for both fighters, but Chandler may stand to lose more than the Brazilian at the moment.

The announcement of the five-round UFC 309 co-main event between Chandler and Oliveira surprised many, including Conor McGregor. But it seems that the former Bellator champion already knew about the fight four weeks ahead of the announcement. Let us take a look at what he had to say about it. 

Michael Chandler already knew about his fight with Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 

‘Iron’ is all set to take on Charles Oliveira for an epic rematch of their UFC 262 encounter. The Brazilian won the vacant lightweight title in May 2022 after defeating Chandler via knockout. He will now have the opportunity to settle the score once and for all. The 38-year-old is happy to get the opportunity, and in a recent interview, he said, “Good man, I feel like. I made this decision like four weeks ago so I’ve known for a while.”  ‘Iron’ further added, “But now, like, the whole world knows it’s good because now I can finally. This one, especially because it’s not just announcing a fight. It is foregoing the Conor fight for now, at least. And I am happy with my decision, and I’m happy with the opponent.” 

With a win, Chandler can enter the top 5 of the ranking pool again and will have many lucrative options, including McGregor. He will be in line to face the winner of Arman Tsarukyan vs. Islam Makhachev. Or he could chase another rematch against either of Dustin Poirier or Justin Gaethje. With the spot in the top 5 rankings, he also becomes all the more desirable to McGregor as well.

However, the dominos will fall fast and hard for Chandler if he comes up short at Madison Square Garden. Last time around, he was holding his own against the Brazilian at the Toyota Center in Texas before a second-round finish came out of nowhere.

After Conor McGregor pulled out from the fight at UFC 303, Chandler seemed to be at a loss for words. It’s been almost two years since ‘Iron’ was last seen in action inside the Octagon. While he waited patiently for his opportunity, many experts advised him to move on from the fight. It seems Michael Chandler has finally listened to the advice and is ready to explore new challenges in his career. Currently, there is no official date for McGregor’s return, but fans are hoping to see him in early 2025.

Chandler might be happy with his next opponent, but he is well aware of the threats possessed by ‘Do Bronx.’ The Brazilian is not only a lethal striker but also has very good wrestling and BJJ skills, which can trouble ‘Iron.’ A win against Oliveira will definitely help him regain the limelight again. But what consequences can he face if he fails to get past his next challenge? Former UFC referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy revealed the biggest drawback in his recent podcast.

Chandler can face Conor McGregor only if he wins, feels former UFC referee

Former UFC referee Big John McCarthy and former UFC fighter Josh Thomson recently took to their ‘The Weighing In’ podcast to discuss the UFC 309 fight. McCarthy seemed super excited to witness Chandler return to action after a gap of nearly two years. However, he did remind him that facing Oliveira would not be an easy task. He said, “I think it’s a great thing that Michael Chandler took the fight. Smart move.”  The former UFC referee then pointed out one of the biggest risks for Chandler if he failed to get past the challenge of Charles Oliveira.

According to McCarthy, a loss against Oliveira would ruin his plans of facing the Dubliner next. The 38-year-old took to his Instagram account and showed his intentions to face McGregor after this fight. He pointed out that only if McGregor returns to full fitness, their much-anticipated fight might happen.

But according to McCarthy, Chandler will have to win his next fight first.  He further added, “And if you lose guess what that thing that you have been hanging around for all this time. Do you think they’re going to give you that fight? Only if you win. So, extra incentive.” Beating Oliveira will definitely help him make a statement, and at 38 years old, this might just be his last chance at a title shot.

If he loses, all the aforementioned prospects go to the Brazilian. Some of you might remember that McGregor wanted Oliveria to wait for his return instead of taking on Makhachev at UFC 280. So, Chandler’s time and effort could very well go down the drain with a loss in New York in November.

Do you think Michael Chandler can get past the challenge of Charles Oliveira at UFC 309? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.