Michael Chandler explains what makes Dustin Poirier "unbreakable" and one of the toughest challenges of his career
Michael Chandler recently shed light on what makes his UFC 281 opponent Dustin Poirier one of the toughest challenges of his career. The former three-time Bellator lightweight champion will test himself against the 19-fight UFC veteran when he steps inside the octagon this weekend.
The electrifying clash between two of the most exciting lightweight contenders has Fight of the Night potential. Their approach to chasing the finish inside a fight and credentials inside the octagon is a testament to the same.
Ron Kruck of SuperBook Sports pointed out an interesting fact about the two combatants in a recent interview with Michael Chandler. The duo have a combined record of 39 finishes in their MMA career.
While previewing the upcoming clash, Chandler stated that Dustin Poirier's fortitude makes him one of the most arduous challenges of his 13-year long MMA career:
"One thing that can be discounted is the will of a man. When you look at Dustin Poirier, he's unbreakable. He's got the will of a champion. It's going to be a tough, hard-fought battle. I know exactly who I am fighting. And it's a guy that scares me, it's a guy that wakes me up in the morning and wants me to train hard."
Watch the full interview through the link below:
#5 ranked UFC Lightweight @MikeChandlerMMA joins @Rkruck to talk about his upcoming fight with Dustin Poirier in #UFC281 twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…
Michael Chandler reacts to Dustin Poirier's storied UFC career while previewing their upcoming clash
Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier will lock horns this weekend at UFC 281. The interesting clash between a power puncher and a volume fighter is sure to enthrall combat sports fans worldwide.
Although the pair got into a heated exchange at UFC 276, both combatants have since revised their stance and have been fairly respectful leading up to the fight.
Wow 🤩 @DustinPoirier vs @MikeChandlerMMA https://t.co/Dw7aYb9ueV
Interestingly, Poirier has fought nine champions or former champions, either interim or undisputed, in his last ten fights inside the UFC octagon. 'The Diamond' has also defeated notable opponents such as Conor McGregor and Max Holloway in the process.
Reacting to this fascinating tidbit in a recent interview with Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports, Chandler commented:
"I've got a ton of respect for Poirier. There's no doubt [in] who he is and his body of work speaks for itself. This was a fight that I wanted when I came into the UFC, it didn't materialize. But here we are, materializing two years later. The guy has fought or beaten the who's who of the lightweight division for the last ten years. Obviously he's got a ton more tenure than I do and I've come in and made some pretty loud noise in the last two years. Want to add Dustin Poirier to my resume."
Watch the full interview below: