Dustin Poirier thinks Michael Chandler should be thrown right into the deep end for his UFC debut, and Justin Gaethje is the best option available. Chandler (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a former three-time Bellator champion, joined the UFC this year and was immediately given prominent positioning from the company in the form of a backup role for October’s lightweight title fight between Gaethje (22-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254. Both men ultimately made weight and stepped into the octagon without issue, meaning Chandler’s services were not required. There’s since been speculation of who he would be booked against, but as matchups at the top of the 155-pound weight have been made, the options have narrowed. Gaethje, Dan Hooker or Rafael dos Anjos appear to the frontrunners, and Poirier (26-6 MMA, 18-5 UFC) said he’d like to see him get the toughest of the bunch, to find out where Chandler really stands.
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