Michael Chandler Offers To Fight Islam Makhachev For Vacant Title, Urges Charles Oliveira To 'Sit Out'

With the UFC lightweight title still vacant, one-time title challenger, Michael Chandler has offered to compete for divisional gold once again, in the form of a showdown against Islam Makhachev – as well as urging Charles Oliveira to sit out and chase a fight with Conor McGregor.

Michael Chandler, the current #5 ranked lightweight challenger, most recently featured on the main card of UFC 274 back in May, stopping former interim titleholder, Tony Ferguson with a brutal second round front kick knockout.

Following the victory, Chandler called out the likes of the aforenoted, Oliveira, and Justin Gaethje for championship rematches – as well as offering to fight Conor McGregor at the welterweight limit.

Michael Chandler urges Charles Oliveira to sit out and wait for Conor McGregor

Yet to land his Octagon return, Chandler, a staple of Kill Cliff FC in Deerfield Beach, Florida has now taken matchmaking measures into his own hands, offering to share the Octagon with the aforenoted, Makhachev in a vacant title offing, as Oliveira weighs up a title fight with the soon to return, McGregor next.

“Hey, Charles (Oliveira), do your thing, bro,” Michael Chandler posted on his Instagram story. “Wait till Conor (McGregor) comes back, you deserve it. On a couple fight win streak, smashing through everybody. Why don’t you sit out? Wait for Conor to come back, I’ll keep the division warm, I’ll keep the division going. I’ll fight Islam (Makhachev) next – I’ll fight Islam for the title.”

https://twitter.com/ElbowsChateau/status/1544678504410877954

“And then whenever you get your so-called ‘superfight’, do your thing, get it out of your system, then you can come back to our division. See you at the top.”

Sharing the Octagon with Sao Paulo native, Oliveira back in May of last year in a vacant title clash, Chandler got off to a great start against the Brazilian scoring a knockdown at the end of the first frame, before he was dropped at the beginning of the second frame, and finished with follow-up strikes.