"That'll be a good fight" - Michael Bisping previews potential Nate Diaz vs. Michael Chandler matchup
Michael Bisping is on board with a potential Michael Chandler vs. Nate Diaz fight.
Diaz, of course, has been lobbying for a bout since late last year as his UFC contract is set to expire after one more appearance. If Chandler is up for the challenge, Diaz is apparently willing to face 'Iron' as his final opponent in the octagon.
Bisping caught wind of the development and chimed in with his two cents during a live Q&A with fans on YouTube. Breaking down a potential Chandler vs. Diaz showdown, the former UFC middleweight champion said:
"I'm kind of leaning towards Michael Chandler. The only thing is that Michael Chandler gets hit a lot, and [Nate] Diaz does have power. Not all the time, but throughout a 25-minute fight, he does land some big shots. I mean, he hurt Conor McGregor, wobbled him. He hurt Leon Edwards in the fifth round and wobbled him. ... So yeah, that would be a good fight. Does Michael Chandler want to take Nate Diaz down? Probably. He's got good jiu-jitsu but he's not like... I don't think he's like Charles Oliveira."
Check out Michael Bisping's comments below:
Despite the pair's willingness to scrap, the UFC appears to have a different plan for Diaz. UFC president Dana White may have accidentally revealed plans to pit Diaz against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 276 in July.
The matchup was listed for the event on the matchmaking board, which was recently leaked. However, White recently insisted that some bouts are mere "placeholders" and far from done deals.
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Michael Chandler shuts down Nate Diaz's comments
Nate Diaz is adamant that he could outgrapple the top lightweight and the most decorated submission artist in the UFC, Charles Oliveira. Michael Chandler, however, doesn't believe so.
Chandler slammed Diaz on social media after the Stockton native claimed he would "choke out" Oliveira with ease. The one-time lightweight title challenger said:
"Hey @natediaz209 …shut up and stop complaining. Keep your mouth shut. Keep your head down until your daddy books a fight for you to get your sacrificial dome bounced off the canvas again. Maybe it’ll be me…if you’re lucky. See you at the top!"
Hey @natediaz209 ...shut up and stop complaining. Keep your mouth shut. Keep your head down until your daddy books a fight for you to get your sacrificial dome bounced off the canvas again. Maybe it’ll be me...if you’re lucky. See you at the top!
Chandler, of course, has firsthand experience fighting Oliveira. He fought the Brazilian in the main event of last year's UFC 262 event with the vacant lightweight title on the line.
At one point, 'Iron' was moments away from putting Oliveira away and becoming a UFC champion. However, Oliveira bounced back in round two to secure a technical knockout (TKO) win.