Michael Chandler predicts victory over Islam Makhachev: ‘Missouri wrestling beats Dagestani Sambo’

Ahead of his overdue return to action at UFC 309, Michael Chandler has once more predicted a win over pound-for-pound number one and lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev — touting his wrestling background as more effective than the Russian’s dominant Sambo arsenal.

Chandler, the current number six ranked lightweight contender, will snap a two-year hiatus from the Octagon later this year in the co-main event of UFC 309, taking on soon-to-be two-time foe, Charles Oliveira in their five round rematch at Madison Square Garden.

As for Makhachev, the Makhackhala native was ruled from a UFC 308 return at the end of next month amid an unspecified arm injury, seeing a targeted rematch for the title against the surging number one contender, Arman Tsarukyan fall to the wayside.

Michael Chandler predicts win against lightweight king, Islam Makhachev

Hoping to move into title contention with a victory over Oliveira to avenge a loss three years prior, Chandler has once more talked up a potential grudge fight for the crown against Makhachev, fancying his chances of toppling the Russian in the wrestling department.

“It would be a big fight,” Michael Chandler said of a matchup with Islam Makhachev during an interview with MMA Fighting. “Islam doesn’t want to fight some of these guys that he has fought before, he wants new blood. And I am that guy. I think I’ve got a great style to beat Islam, as I said, good old-fashioned, passionate, hardworking Missouri division-one wrestling beats Dagestani Sambo every day of the week. I got dynamite in my hands, I got cardio for days, I can push the pace, I believe I beat Islam.”

I believe I fight and beat Islam in early 2025,” Michael Chandler explained. “I do think Islam runs through Arman (Tsarukyan) in my opinion, because I want him to look like the baddest man on the planet, pound-for-pound number one when I got take his throne.”