'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAb/2gAIAQEAAAAAg0f/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAECEAAAAB//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAEDEAAAAGf/xAAgEAACAgIBBQEAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIEBREABjEyM4Gy/9oACAEBAAE/ALvV9engchj6Swqo6aVGOjMrjNE4s/MPpO+VMUq7VTbFBWnwDfeweQ32Euf/xAAYEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEDE//aAAgBAgEBPwCxYzU//8QAGREAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAxNR/9oACAEDAQE/AA+drgdn/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler are in the final stages of negotiation for a lightweight contender's fight at UFC 281 in Madison Square Garden. That's a few weeks after Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev fight for the vacant lightweight title in Abu Dhabi. Michael Bisping believes the winner at UFC 281 could earn a shot at the newly reclaimed belt.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Bisping said:
"Conor McGregor, when he comes back, will probably saunter in and get a title fight straight away. But he's not fighting any time soon, apparently he's retired, apparently he's going to fight Floyd Mayweather again. So forget about him for a second. Who is it going to be?"
"Yes there's Beniel Dariush out there, he has a claim to a title shot. But Poirier, Chandler, if they deliver the goods like Chandler did at Madison Square Garden last year, like Poirier usually does in every single one of his fights, then this fight is gonna be absolutely sensational. And if it's a crowd-pleasing fight, there's a good chance one of them gets a shot at the title once again."
Watch Michael Bisping discuss the UFC lightweight title picture below:
There's only one problem with Bisping's analysis: Charles Oliveira has already beaten Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler. Recently, too. Both men fell to 'Do Bronx' in 2021, and in convincing fashion. It will be difficult for either man to argue for a title shot if Oliveira wins, so expect them both to be cheering for Islam Makhachev at UFC 280.
Dustin Poirier opens a slight betting favorite over Michael Chandler
Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler is an extremely competitive fight and that fact is reflected in the sportsbook odds. 'The Diamond' opened a -155 favorite, with Michael Chandler being dubbed a +135 underdog. Those are tight odds.
Dustin Poirier hasn't fought since a third-round submission loss to Charles Oliveira in December 2021, but was on an impressive three-fight win streak before that with two victories against Conor McGregor and an entertaining five-round war against Dan Hooker.
Michael Chandler snapped a two-fight losing streak by landing a KO of the Year against Tony Ferguson at UFC 274 in May. While he's just 2-2 in the UFC since arriving from Bellator, all of his fights have been against the best of the best, and only Charles Oliveira has managed to completely outclass him.
Chandler and Poirier are two of the most exciting fighters in the UFC lightweight division, and their fight promises to generate fireworks, if not a title shot.
