UFC commentator and former middleweight champion Michael Bisping is expecting to see another Dustin Poirier victory this weekend. Poirier is set to face fellow lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler in the co-main event at UFC 281 this weekend, and Bisping believes that he has a key advantage over Chandler precisely where Chandler has struggled in the past. He elaborated on his case on his YouTube channel.
“Obviously [Poirier is] looking for the TKO, but Michael Chandler is very tough. However, he has been dropped. He got dropped off Tony Ferguson, he got dropped off Charles Oliveira. He has been shown to be a little bit chinny. Tony Ferguson is a great fighter, but I think the best days are probably behind him.
Bisping Predicts Poirier KO Win over “Chinny” Chandler at UFC 281
Dustin Poirier has shown time and time again that he can wear down great fighters like Conor McGregor, like Justin Gaethje, and he can put them away. If he could do that, I think he can put Michael Chandler away. I say Dustin Poirier gets a TKO in Round 3.”
Dustin Poirier’s striking has continually improved over the course of his UFC career. Most notably, Poirier dispatched former two-division champion Conor McGregor – who knocked him out early in both men’s careers – in two consecutive fights, becoming the first fighter ever to do so. Poirier’s elite striking ability earned him a shot at the lightweight title against Charles Oliveira, whose jiu-jitsu proved to be the deciding factor, choking Poirier out in the third round at UFC 269.
Michael Chandler, according to Bisping, will need to mix in his grappling if he wants to win, instead of simply exchanging strikes with Poirier.
“Dustin Poirier has the better boxing. He’s got the longer reach but only by one inch. When you see Michael Chandler, he’s a shorter guy, but he’s got a 71-inch reach. Dustin Poirier is 72, so not much of an advantage there. But I just think he puts together better combinations. Very, very fluid footwork. He likes to switch stances. He likes to glide in and out.
For Chandler, he’s got to mix in takedowns. He’s got to go from the boxing to the takedowns. Lots of level changes, lots of feints, lots of fakes. Use the hands, set up the level changes.”
Chandler has proven to be one of the UFC’s most entertaining lightweights, putting on barnstorming performances against Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson in his two most recent outings. Whether he can take out Dustin Poirier is another story entirely.
What’s your prediction for UFC 281? Let us know in the comments.
