Former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler plans to start calling some shots following his fight at UFC 257 scheduled to take place at the Yas Islands in Abu Dhabi.
The fight will take place on Jan 23 and he will be fighting top lightweight contender Dan Hooker. It will be the Michael Chandler’s UFC debut and there’s no better way of making UFC debut that fighting on the biggest fight card of the year.
UFC 257 is headlined by former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor, who will be fighting in a rematch against Dustin Poirier.
Michael Chandler was signed by UFC last year just ahead of UFC 254 and served as a back up to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje.
Michael Chandler wants title shot after beating Dan Hooker
While UFC president Dana White has made it clear that the winner of Poirier vs McGregor will fight for the title, Michael Chandler also plans on laying a stake at the UFC gold.
“Either way, there’s going to be a lot of clarity on Jan. 23 after these two fights happen, and then we kinda see what happens,” Chandler told MMA Junkie. “Obviously I’ll be campaigning for a No. 1 contender fight, a title fight. I’ll be throwing my name in the hat to fight any of those guys. Either way, I’m just excited to be competing in the UFC. I’m excited to be competing with the guys that are the best in the world in the lightweight division at 155-pounds.
“So, if I have to go out there and do my job against Dan Hooker, then I gotta do it again against someone else in order to get to that title shot, so be it. But either way, all roads lead to Jan. 23, and after that, we’ll have a little bit more clarity. Then I can start calling some shots.”
UFC 257 Fight Card:
155 lbs: Michael Chandler vs. Dan Hooker
125 lbs.: Joanne Calderwood vs. Jessica Eye
115 lbs.: Amanda Ribas vs. Marina Rodriguez
155 lbs.: Ottman Azaitar vs. Matt Frevola
185 lbs.: Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Brad Tavares
155 lbs.: Nasrat Haqparast vs. Arman Tsarukyan
205 lbs.: Marcin Prachnio vs. Khalil Rountree
135 lbs.: Sergey Morozov vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
145 lbs.: Shane Burgos vs. Hakeem Dawodu
135 lbs.: Sara McMann vs. Julianna Pena
185 lbs.: Makhmud Muradov vs. Andrew Sanchez
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