Dustin Poirier: Michael Chandler at crossroads, can't lose to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314
Dustin Poirier thinks Michael Chandler needs to prove he's worthy of a top contention spot at lightweight.
Former Bellator champion Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) meets Paddy Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in Saturday's five-round UFC 314 co-headliner (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at Kaseya Center in Miami.
Chandler has fought elite competition since joining the UFC roster, but has struggled as of late. One of those losses came in a submission to Poirier at UFC 281, and "The Diamond" thinks Chandler needs to win if he wants to remain in the upper echelon of lightweight.
"To me, as a fighter and a fan, Chandler is at a crossroads here," Poirier said on "Good Guy/Bad Guy." "He's taking on a young guy who has a lot of hype, but his track record has been kind of rocky in the UFC. He came over, right out the gate, big win, then up and down, up and down. This is a big test for Chandler to show he deserves to be at the top of the division."
Poirier knows what it's like to stop a rising contender in his tracks after knocking out Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299. So, "The Diamond" can relate to Chandler's must-win situation.
"He's been at the top of the lightweight conversation since he got into the UFC with his win over Dan Hooker," Poirier said. "It's been downhill since then, but does he deserve to be in the top five. He's been a staple for the last couple of years in the top five of the division, he can't lose this fight.
"If he goes out there and wins this fight, OK, this guy maybe deserves to be in there, but he has to do something big after that. And for Paddy, if he beats Michael Chandler, now he's fighting the top five."
Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett prediction, pick: A finish in UFC 314 co-main event – but for whom?
Michael Chandler considers Paddy Pimblett fight 'The People's Main Event' of UFC 314
Daniel Cormier explains why Michael Chandler under most pressure at UFC 314
Michael Bisping: It's 'put up or shut up' time for Michael Chandler at UFC 314
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 314.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dustin Poirier: Michael Chandler at crossroads, can't lose to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
33 minutes ago
- USA Today
Report: Shedeur Sanders has path to winning Browns QB competition
Report: Shedeur Sanders has path to winning Browns QB competition Show Caption Hide Caption Shedeur Sanders not feeling pressure from his doubters After sliding in the NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders explains why he's not bothered by his many doubters as Browns career begins. Sports Pulse Shedeur Sanders might've tumbled down the draft board, but he could be flying up the Cleveland Browns' quarterback depth chart. The former Colorado quarterback's draft slide ended when the Browns selected him in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft with the 144th overall pick. Players taken that late don't typically have a great success rate at becoming starters in the pros, but Sanders isn't your average Day 3 pick. Some have speculated Sanders slid because of his family, attitude or talent. Others have noted that he doesn't figure to be a starting quarterback, which makes the noise surrounding his presence on a team an unnecessary distraction. Regardless, Sanders is in camp with the Browns. On a team without a clear starting quarterback atop the depth chart, that means it's a wide-open competition – one that the fifth-rounder has a path to winning, according to ESPN's Kimberley A. Martin. "Listen, in that building, there are people who believe that Shedeur can 100 percent be the starter of this football team," Martin said on ESPN's "Get Up" on Wednesday. "You said it's incumbent upon the Browns to put him in the situation, it's also incumbent upon Shedeur to do the work, which, talking to people in that building, they've said he is soaking up everything like a sponge." To do so, Sanders will have to surpass Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow 2025 draft pick Dillon Gabriel on the depth chart. That doesn't mean he isn't taking every opportunity to learn from the veteran Flacco, however. "In the QB rooms, talking to Flacco, wanting to learn, and also, let's not forget, Dillon Gabriel, spent a lot of time talking about Shedeur, but Dillon Gabriel's a guy who was drafted in the third," Martin said. "One source said to me, he is everything you want in a quarterback, he's just small. If he were a little taller, a lot of people would be looking at Dillon Gabriel a little differently, at least that's how they feel in their building. So they have a very interesting quarterback situation, and Shedeur has a path." Gabriel, who was selected two rounds earlier than Sanders, illustrates the problem for the Colorado prospect. As ESPN's Peter Schrager pointed out during the segment, Sanders likely won't have the same amount of reps in practice as the other quarterbacks on the roster. With less room for error, it presents a challenge for the rookie. Regardless, he is still expected to be on the roster, barring something unforeseen. "The sense I get in that building is something catastrophic, crazy would have to happen for Shedeur not be on the roster," Martin said. "They believe in the talent." Now it's on Sanders to run through the finish line and secure the starting job.
USA Today
38 minutes ago
- USA Today
Chael Sonnen on Belal Muhammad's UFC title loss: 'They don't ever give him his credit'
Chael Sonnen on Belal Muhammad's UFC title loss: 'They don't ever give him his credit' Chael Sonnen doesn't understand the criticism surrounding former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. Muhammad (24-4 MMA, 15-4 UFC) lost his welterweight title to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 last month in a Fight of the Night battle. Muhammad is often criticized for his fighting style, but he stood toe-to-toe with Della Maddalena for five rounds. Sonnen says the hate toward Muhammad is unwarranted. He praised him for taking on all comers and taking the long road to the top. "Why does the whole world treat him like crap? What did Belal ever do to anybody," Sonnen told The Schmo. "Half of the UFC, it's divided in the first floor and second floor. The guys on the second floor don't like him; the guys on the first floor do like him. I don't understand this. All Belal has ever done is fight the hardest guys, ask for opportunities and keep his mouth shut when it doesn't go his way. "He walks out there in an undercard against Sean Brady, who by the way nobody else has ever, prior or since, even come close to beating. They don't ever give him his credit. The best thing he's done, which was about two weeks after his fight, he called for his next fight which by the way had he won, is what he would have done days ago." Sonnen also liked the way Muhammad handled his loss, and his determination to get his belt back. "There's a time in life where if you ever want to become a gentlemen you have to learn how to lose," Sonnen added. "You have to learn that if things don't go your way, you get back on that horse. That's a great example that Belal set for everybody and it's yet another thing that he won't get credit for, but he deserves it."
42 minutes ago
Lacrosse legend Paul Rabil comes to ESPN
The hall of fame athlete and co-founder of Premiere Lacross League talks about his new ESPN series, 'Rabil's Places.' June 4, 2025
