Michael Chandler gets brutally honest about UFC title aspiration ahead of Paddy Pimblett clash

Michael Chandler isn't ready to give up on his UFC championship dreams. In a recent interview with The Schmo, 'Iron' spoke candidly about his desire to capture lightweight gold. First, though, he must overcome the dynamic challenge posed by Paddy Pimblett, who is dangerous in every facet of MMA.

But, Chandler is nothing if not confident. So, when asked by The Schmo what a win over Pimblett would mean for his career, Chandler embarked on a lengthy narrative about his journey through the UFC, and how Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje both took fights against top 15 foes when they were in the top 10.

Now, Chandler is aiming to do the same, with a win over Pimblett being his first step toward a return to title contention.

"This is another opportunity for me to continue to stake my claim, to say, 'Hey, I'm still here. I'm still working toward that title, I still believe a UFC title fight is in my future, I got a lot of tread left on my tires, and a win over Paddy Pimblett proves that I'm not just here to take these 'cherry-picked' top five guys to protect my ranking. I'm throwing everything on the line April 12."

Check out Michael Chandler's detailing the importance of beating Paddy Pimblett (2:25):

Chandler is nothing if not optimistic, but he is currently on the worst run of his career. After a stellar UFC debut which saw him become one of the few men to TKO the ultra-tough Dan Hooker at UFC 257, 'Iron' has struggled for form. He subsequently went 1-4 in his next five fights.

His only win during that stretch has been against an over-the-hill Tony Ferguson, who now owns the worst losing streak in UFC history. With two separate two-fight losing streaks in the UFC, Chandler will be determined to beat Pimblett at UFC 314 and avoid a similar fate.

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Michael Chandler came close to becoming a UFC champion

After Khabib Nurmagomedov vacated the lightweight title, Michael Chandler was booked in a bout for the unclaimed belt. His opponent was action fighter extraordinaire, Charles Oliveira. The two men clashed at UFC 262, and 'Iron' seemed to be on the verge of UFC gold in round one.

Check out Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler 1 highlights:

He rocked Oliveira badly in round one, which led to an unofficial knockdown. Chandler pounced, landing some good ground-and-pound, but was unable to finish Oliveira. He seemed to be on the verge of a win, but was floored by a left hook in round two, before Oliveira TKO'd him seconds afterward.