Daniel Cormier wants Michael Chandler to fight Justin Gaethje at UFC 257 on January 23
Daniel Cormier wants UFC's latest star recruit Michael Chandler to make his Octagon debut against former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje at UFC 257 on January 23. The pay-per-view will take place at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje is the fight to make, claims Daniel Cormier
Speaking to ESPN journalist Ariel Helwani, Daniel Cormier said that he wants to see Chandler fight Gaethje on the January 23 pay-per-view, which will be headlined by a lightweight encounter between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. DC believes that a potential matchup between Chandler and Gaethje would be "fantastic."
Cormier further said that it makes a lot of sense for the promotion to book Chandler's Octagon debut against a top contender like Gaethje if they want Chandler to live up to his reputation.
"I feel like he's going to fight Justin Gaethje. Chandler and Gaethje is going to be fantastic. Fight Gaethje, man. I think you got to put him [Michael Chandler] at the top. Start him at the very top if he's going to be what you expect him to be."
The last time Justin Gaethje stepped inside the Octagon was at UFC 254, where he succumbed to a second-round submission defeat at the hands of the undefeated and undisputed UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Gaethje is currently ranked #1 in the UFC lightweight rankings and was on a four-fight win-streak before his fight against Khabib. Justin Gaethje holds an impressive 22-3 overall career record and is 5-3 inside the Octagon.
Michael Chandler is a former three-time Bellator Lightweight World Champion and was booked as the back-up fighter for the lightweight fight between Justin Gaethje and Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254.
Chandler holds a 21-5 career record, and in his last fight in August, the 34-year-old defeated former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson at Bellator 243.