Michael Chandler: Charles Oliveira ‘Probably the Scariest Opponent I’ve Ever Faced’

Michael Chandler knows the dangers that await him in the Octagon when he squares off against Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight crown at UFC 262 on Saturday.

"I trained a lot of jiu-jitsu because Charles is very good, probably the scariest opponent I´ve ever faced in my whole career,” the former Bellator title holder recently told Combate.

That said, Chandler believes that if he can survive Oliveira’s initial blitz, he will be the stronger fighter over the course of a five-round championship bout.

"If He can't get the submission or knock out really fast, he starts to get tired and that's where I start to shine,” Chandler said. “I have no doubt that my athleticism will be a turning point in a 25- minute fight.

“Charles will start strong but will get tired and I´m not. I hope to get a knockout in the first two rounds, but the fans can also expect a 25-minutes war.”

UFC 262 takes place at the Toyota Center in Houston and will also Tony Ferguson square off against Beneil Dariush in the evening’s co-main event. The main card is available on pay-per-view via ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Early prelims begin on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT before moving to ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.