Charles Oliveira KNOCKS OUT Michael Chandler In An Instant Classic To Become UFC Lightweight Champion
When I call this fight an "instant classic" in my headline - I really mean it. That was fucking awesome.
Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler wasn't here for a long time, but it was damn sure here for a good time. This WAR was simply incredible start-to-finish; both men threw everything AND the kitchen sink at each other for those couple rounds and just went balls-to-the-wall bananas in hopes of glory. They exceeded EVERYONE'S expectations - no matter how high they might've been - before the shocking finish, as well.
Oliveira opened the fight with a beautiful low kick that tripped Chandler up, but "Do Bronx" then seemingly got rocked immediately! Chandler took top control, put the pressure on him, but then Oliveira swept Chandler and took his back! If Charles Oliveira is on your back, that typically means the fight is over - but not for Michael Chandler, who's never been submitted in his career!! The former Bellator Champion slipped right out, then BADLY hurt Oliveira, and almost finished the fight before the end of Round 1…
As both fighters came out of their corners for the second round, the momentum seemed to clearly be in Chandler's favor, but Oliveira stepped off the stool as fresh as ever and almost IMMEDIATELY rocked Chandler, put him on skates, and then finished the job….
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Simply incredible. Oliveira then ran into the crowd Jose Aldo style and bled all over Uncle Dana and the commentary table; never seen a guy so happy to win a fight in my life - but it's well deserved!
Charles Oliveira proved each and every doubter who claimed he had some quit left in him wrong tonight - dude was on the brink of defeat more than once and still endured and came back to get the win.
Michael Chandler, on the other hand, cemented himself as a UFC caliber talent tonight. Nobody should have any questions about that anymore. That mothafucka BELONGS here. He'll undoubtedly be in the mix with Poirier/McGregor/Gaethje/Dariush in the next twelve months.
God, I love MMA….AND we get this card next month?!
