Dustin Poirier might not be the largest Michael Chandler fan however he is aware of that it’s a battle to the very finish when going up in opposition to him within the octagon.
That wasn’t essentially the case at UFC 314 after Chandler was largely dominated and in the end completed with floor and pound within the third spherical after Paddy Pimblett placed on a shocking efficiency to beat the one-time title challenger. Well-known for his action-packed fashion, Chandler scored an early takedown however he simply by no means appeared to settle into any type of rhythem earlier than Pimblett began turning the tables on him.
After Pimblett scored with a leaping knee strike, he ended up on prime of Chandler the place he rained down a sequence of vicious blows that gave the referee no alternative however to cease the combat. The loss dropped Chandler to 2-5 within the UFC with the Pimblett combat serving as his third straight defeat in a row general.
“I feel this complete week what we’ve been speaking about his again was in opposition to the wall,” Poirier mentioned about Chandler in the course of the UFC 314 post-fight present. “The factor Anthony [Smith] didn’t like, the crossroads reference, I feel that’s what that was. We noticed him lose once more tonight and never simply lose however get rolled by a younger man. That was a beating.”
Even in his losses within the UFC, Chandler all the time appeared to provide simply nearly as good as he was getting and he by no means ran out of steam even throughout 5 rounds fights.
However that wasn’t the case on Saturday with Poirier noting that Chandler seemed exhausted after the top of the primary spherical and that’s when Pimblett actually began placing it on him.
At 38 years outdated with a profession constructed on Combat of the Evening performances, Poirier can’t assist however surprise if Chandler’s finest days are simply behind him now.
“After the primary spherical, he had some success with the takedown, with the wrist experience, simply using him out in that first spherical,” Poirier mentioned. “He received that first spherical and simply didn’t appear to be himself within the second.
“Didn’t look sturdy on his toes. Regarded like he was slowing down, which we don’t see him ever decelerate within the second spherical. He’s in phenomenal form, appears to be like nice however these years catch as much as you.”
It’s robust to argue with Poirier’s logic, particularly given Chandler’s age and the lopsided nature of his earlier two losses the place he fell to Charles Oliveira in a reasonably one-sided determination after which completed by Pimblett with strikes within the third spherical.
Instantly after the combat was over, Chandler jetted out of the octagon and he hasn’t addressed his loss but.
So far as Pimblett goes, contemplate Poirier impressed after he first thought the light-weight from Liverpool was extra hype than actuality.
“I assumed he was a goofy wanting man with a foolish haircut that individuals are type of getting behind like a fad,” Poirier mentioned. “Like ‘oh that is enjoyable, let’s cheer this goofy wanting man on!’ However when you’ve gotten an ideal storm like this the place you’re the goofy man and also you say these items and then you definitely go on the market and win fights, you develop into a large star within the sport. That’s what he’s doing. He went from a prospect to a contender tonight. He’s a light-weight contender now.
“He’s within the prime. Who doesn’t have a combat proper now? Gaethje? Perhaps Arman? Oliveira? All enjoyable fights, all nice fights. You don’t combat again now. You proceed to combat up and go for the title. I feel you give him a kind of guys.”
