Michael Chandler explains fighting Charles Oliveira next instead of Conor McGregor: "I think you guys must've forgotten who I am"

Michael Chandler recently opened up about his decision to face Charles Oliveira next, despite having waited a considerable amount of time for a fight with Conor McGregor. 'Iron' appeared increasingly frustrated by being left in limbo and has now decided to move forward by accepting a rematch with his former foe.

On Friday, UFC CEO Dana White initially confirmed with Barstool Sports that Chandler is slated to take on Oliveira in a five-round lightweight clash. This fight will serve as the co-main event of UFC 309, scheduled for Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Following the announcement, Chandler took to his YouTube channel, posting a video addressing why he chose to fight 'do Bronx' next. Chandler revealed that when he joined the UFC in September 2020, his goal was to take on all the top-ranked fighters in the 155-pound division. So far, he’s faced five of those contenders, with the exception of 'The Notorious':

"The time that I signed with the UFC, Khabib Nurmagomedov was champion. Justin Gaethje, No. 1, fought him. Dustin Poirier, No. 2, fought him. Charles Oliveira, No. 3, fought him. Conor McGregor had a fight booked; he pulled out. No. 5, Tony Ferguson, fought him. No. 6, Dan Hooker, fought him. That is why I'm fighting Charles Oliveira."

'Iron' highlighted the numerous accomplishments he’s racked up in just 25 months with the UFC. He explained that his decision to fight Oliveira stems from the belief that a victory over the Brazilian could catapult him back into title contention:

"Now I get the opportunity to make a title run. I beat Charles Oliveira, I become the No. 1. I beat Charles Oliveira, I can choose to go fight Islam [Makhachev] or Arman [Tsarukyan]. I believe it's going to be Islam... This is the ultimate bet on yourself. I think you guys must have forgotten who I am."

Check out Michael Chandler's comments below (0:33):

The UFC 309 bout will be a rematch between Chandler and Oliveira, revisiting their UFC 262 championship clash from May 2021. In that encounter, 'do Bronx' claimed a second-round TKO victory to secure the vacant lightweight title.

The upcoming bout doesn't rule out a future clash between Chandler and McGregor. The two were initially slated to face off at UFC 303 in June, but the fight was called off after 'The Notorious' withdrew due to an injury.

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When did Michael Chandler last step into the octagon?

Michael Chandler has been on the sidelines for nearly two years, awaiting a potential fight with Conor McGregor. 'Iron' last stepped into the octagon at UFC 281 in November 2022, where he endured a hard-fought battle with Dustin Poirier, ultimately succumbing to a third-round submission after a back-and-forth contest.

Chandler currently has a 2-3 record in the UFC and an overall professional record of 23-8.