It was recently reported that Dustin Poirier will face Michael Chandler at UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira in two months’ time at Madison Square Garden in New York. The bout is likely going to be a strong contender for fight of the night, with both fighters known for high-output bouts during their UFC careers.
Both fighters have lost to former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, but the two Americans remain close to a title shot. The winner will likely have a strong case to fight the winner of Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev at UFC 280.
Michael Chandler reacted after fight with Dustin Poirier is made official for UFC 281.
After a great deal of speculation in recent months, it’s finally been confirmed that Michael Chandler will battle Dustin Poirier at UFC 281. The pair will collide in a lightweight showdown with the contest going down at Madison Square Garden, offering both men a big opportunity to make a statement in the world’s most famous arena.
The pair have been calling for this contest for a while now to the point where they were actively calling one another out and even getting into a confrontation when they ran into each other this summer.
Chandler has always been willing to take on any and all challenges and after the announcement was made, he took to social media to let it be known that he’s ready to go to war with ‘The Diamond’.
“A date. A name. A location. Same demeanor. See you at the top! #ufc281”
Michael Chandler beat Tony Ferguson in his most recent UFC outing at UFC 274 earlier this year. The win was crucial for the American’s title hopes, with Chandler losing his prior two bouts against Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira, respectively. ‘Iron’ had a tough introduction into the organization when making his debut against Dan Hooker back in 2021. However, the 36-year-old managed to win via stoppage in the very first round.
His future opponent, Dustin Poirier, lost his latest bout. Nonetheless, it’s important to note that he came up against one of the greatest lightweights in the division, facing Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. ‘The Diamond’ was submitted in the third round and came into the fight after beating Conor McGregor in back-to-back bouts.
Watch the highlights of Poirier’s third bout against McGregor here: