UFC 281: Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler preview & prediction
UFC 281: Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler preview.
What MMA fans consider the people’s main event due to their exciting fighting styles, the No. 2 ranked lightweight, Dustin Poirier will go to war against the No. 5 ranked Michael Chandler. Similar to last year’s fight of the year, Justin Gaethje versus Michael Chandler, which took place in Madison Square Garden, this matchup is shaping up to be a fight of the night and fight of the year candidate if it delivers or exceeds expectations.
The former interim lightweight champion, Poirier (28-7) looks to bounce back after suffering a loss in a title fight via rear naked choke from the former champ, Charles Oliveira. The caliber of the Louisianan resume speaks for itself when he has earned impressive wins over Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, and Eddie Alvarez, and on Saturday he will target to add Chandler to his list of killers.
Chandler is coming off a win where he achieved a knockout of the year contender when he landed a front kick to Tony Ferguson’s chin earlier this year. Since his addition to the UFC roster, he is arguably the most entertaining fighter in the promotion, and every time he steps into the octagon it’s a collision course ready to explode. Chandler is 2-2 since joining the organization with highlight wins and finishes over Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson. If a win is earned and a statement is made, the possibility of a number one contender fight could be an opportunity given.
Who will win at UFC 281: Dustin Poirier vs Michael Chandler?
Poirier’s fighting style is defined by his exquisite boxing technique and his undeniable heart and will that when things are going tough, he perseveres and finishes on top. The challenges that he has faced throughout his career are when fighting elite grapplers such as Khabib Nurmagomedov and Oliveira. The success and when “The Diamond” shines brightest is when he encounters a striker across from him the octagon, but Poirier also has experienced misfortune by being knocked twice several years ago.
Even though with wrestling roots, Chandler only uses it when necessary when hurt and is known for being a brawler who will make his mark by landing a knockout or being knocked out. As the ultimate showman, I suspect that wrestling will be a key factor in his game plan, but once he lands a significant strike and hears the echoes of the chants, he will commit to swinging and banging.
All signs point to this being all standup war that will deliver early moments of success for either man, but a knockdown or finish in any round is essentially a guarantee. If Chandler decides to wrestle early and often then I highly favor a decision in his name, but I don’t see many takedowns in the exchanges. Poirier has the more crisp striking with more volume, while Chandler has the power to end the fight with one strike. At this moment I envision Poirier with a third-round TKO/KO or a unanimous decision.
Prediction- Poirier via unanimous decision
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