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Former Bellator lightweight champion and current UFC star Michael Chandler is confident about his chances against MMA legend Nate Diaz.
There’s no shortage of exciting matchups for Michael Chandler in the UFC, given his status as a revered veteran of the sport. Currently, Chandler is the No.4-ranked UFC lightweight. Despite currently competing at 155 pounds, he's expressed his willingness to move up to welterweight.
Recently, a Twitter user suggested that if a five-round fight between Chandler and Nate Diaz were to materialize, the Stockton native would submit the former title challenger. In response to this, Chandler sent out a tweet that read as follows:
“Remember when Rory picked Nathan up 19 times and slammed him on his head, almost broke his neck and physically dominated him? That’s how a fight between he and I would go.”
The fight Michael Chandler is seemingly referring to is a welterweight bout between former UFC star and current PFL fighter Rory MacDonald and Nate Diaz.
The fight took place at UFC 129 in April 2011. MacDonald thoroughly outgrappled and outworked Diaz en route to a dominant unanimous decision win.
Nate Diaz had previously addressed Michael Chandler joining the UFC
Earlier this year, Nate Diaz spoke to Ariel Helwani and jested about the WWE-style post-fight promo that Michael Chandler cut after winning his UFC debut. Nate Diaz stated:
"Chandler, I don't really know much about him. He's new and kind of goofy. Nah, he's cool, he's doing his thing. What did he just do? He did like some WWE sh*t at the end of his fight."
Nate Diaz is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Leon Edwards in a five-round welterweight bout at UFC 263 in June.
Despite the loss, Diaz walked away with his popularity and reputation intact after coming close to finishing 'Rocky' in the final minute of the bout.
Meanwhile, Michael Chandler’s last fight was a second-round TKO loss against Charles Oliveira in their UFC lightweight title matchup at UFC 262.
Chandler is expected to face Justin Gaethje at UFC 268 on November 6.
