After a few frustrating months on the sidelines, Michael Chandler’s UFC return fight has finally been confirmed.
Last night, Dana White took to Instagram to announce a host of outstanding fights that had been added to the UFC calendar, including several enormous bouts for the upcoming PPV in Miami.
The co-main event of that ‘stacked’ Sunshine State showcase will feature popular American Michael Chandler against surging British superstar, Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett. And it’s not taken long for ‘Iron’ to fire the first shot.
Michael Chandler shares first statement after Paddy Pimblett confirmed
Both athletes have been teasing the lightweight matchup for several weeks, but now it’s official; Chandler vs Pimblett will take place in the co-main event of UFC 314 on April 12.
Reacting in a video shared to his social media, Chandler revealed that there was some initial hesitation about accepting the Pimblett fight; and that he signed on the dotted line after flying out to Las Vegas to meet with Hunter Campbell.
“In this sport, things move very fast. I was on vacation last week when I got a call… I said, ‘Well Hunter, April is only eight weeks away – I like to put down four weeks of training before I go into an eight-week camp, so let me think about it’.
“Next day, flew out to Vegas and we talked through everything, and we made the decision – I’m fighting Paddy Pimblett in Miami, April 12… Because an imperfect plan, implemented now, is better than a perfect plan, implemented months from now.”
Chandler acknowledged that his showdown with ‘The Baddy’ not only represents a chance to make his mark ahead of a “big Summer for the lightweight division,” but to make amends for his most recent loss to Charles Oliveira.
“In this sport, things move fast, there’s a lot of stuff going on in the division – it’s a big Summer for the lightweight division and after the last fight, one of the most disappointing losses of my career, I wanted to get right back on the horse and right back in the octagon.
“Here we go, I like the matchup – love the matchup actually, I respect Paddy. I think he’s a skilled fighter and he’s got a bright future, but I think he’s going to run into a buzzsaw called Michael Chandler on April 12.”
The former Bellator world champion teased with a wry smile that he’ll enter the Kaseya Center with one singular goal in mind – become the first-ever fighter to knock out Paddy Pimblett.
“As always, I will be the most entertaining guy that steps into the octagon that night. I will have everybody on their feet. I will have everybody on the edge of their seat.
“And in typical Chandler fashion, we’re going out there with one goal in mind – to separate our opponent from consciousness.”
- DIVIDED: Michael Chandler mocked by fans for accepting UFC 314 fight after chasing Conor McGregor for years
Chandler vs Pimblett is chief support to vacant UFC title fight
Chandler vs Pimblett is set for the co-main event of UFC 314, with the featherweight world title on the line in the main event of the evening.
However, that won’t include ‘El Matador’, after it was revealed that Ilia Topuria had vacated his UFC title in favor of a big-money move up to lightweight.
The vacant featherweight title will now be contested between former champion Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes – but that wasn’t the only newly announced fight for UFC 314.
Also confirmed for that Miami card was Yair Rodriguez against Patricio ‘Pitbull’, with the former Bellator world champion now finally joining former foe Chandler on the UFC roster.
UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes goes down live from Miami on Saturday, April 12.