Media Michael Chandler: Charles Oliveira ‘Probably the Scariest Opponent I’ve Ever Faced’

[Hollywood Jack]

Lee was off a hood win I thought

Yeah, he Cro Copped Gregor Gillespie and his stand up looked much improved in that fight. He didn't even look bad against Aloe Vera overall, but his wrestling instinct made him take Aloe Vera down and AV was able to force the tap out from there.

 

[Superman Elbow]

I'm curious what he means by "scariest". That could mean a few different things. If he's talking about a guy that poses a serious threat in every phase of the fight, then Oliveira probably is the scariest guy Chandler's ever fought. However, I think Alvarez was a stylistically tougher fight for Chandler, and if we're just looking at who the best fighter he's ever gone up against, Patricio is WAY scarier than Oliveira.

If anything it gives you insight to what he fears, high level bjj. He probably trains with guys just as good as Olivera and knows what can happen.

 

[HaulParris]

Great match-up.

 

[mkt]

Quite a statement when Will Brooks made Chandler try to call his own TKO in the middle of a fight lol.

Ha! And we know what Oliveira did to Brooks...

 

[mkt]

Oliveira is so overrated at the minute

Hope I'm wrong because I love his BJJ, but he's just had good matchups recently, he's not THAT much better than he used to be

You could also use the "good matchups" part about Chandler, too. He's has several fights recently where he could just walk out and KO the other guy. It's not like Chandler has done that consistently his whole career. And it's not like the best UFC LWs will match up with him like a 37-year old Bendo or Sydney Outlaw (sounds like a pro wrestler?). This could be another favorable match-up for him, with Oliveira's history of folding against dangerous fighters. But Oliveira could also be fighting at a new level now.

 

[Hollywood Jack]

Nice to know that Chandler trains jiu jitsu now. Aljo said he trained with Chandler a while ago and that chandler didn't do any BJJ at all back then.

This is misleading (this isn't aimed at your personally, I'm just saying in general). Chandler submitted Eddie Alvarez TEN years ago to win the Bellator belt. His first submission in MMA was in his third fight eleven years ago. Submissions are his second most common form of victory after knockouts. He has 22 wins, 10 (T)KO, 7 subs, 5 decisions. And it's not like all of his subs are against bums on the regional circuit. 6 of his 7 subs are against high level opponents in championship fights or championship tournament fights or against good opponents in Bellator. He's been cross-training BJJ since some time before he made his MMA debut, which was 12 years ago. So close to 15 years ago.

Probably what it was is that at the time Aljo trained with Chandler, Chandler was facing a striker or another wrestler, so boning up on his BJJ wasn't the priority at the time because the game plan was to sprawl n' brawl or to get the take down against a striker who wasn't a submission threat off their back. Fighters tailor their training to who their upcoming opponent is. Obviously if Chandler is facing someone like Aloe Vera then he's really going to drill BJJ throughout his camp. But Chandler's been cross-training submissions for a LONG time, don't get it twisted.

 

[Hollywood Jack]

You could also use the "good matchups" part about Chandler, too. He's has several fights recently where he could just walk out and KO the other guy. It's not like Chandler has done that consistently his whole career. And it's not like the best UFC LWs will match up with him like a 37-year old Bendo or Sydney Outlaw (sounds like a pro wrestler?). This could be another favorable match-up for him, with Oliveira's history of folding against dangerous fighters. But Oliveira could also be fighting at a new level now.

The take down threat against Hooker seems to go overlooked. If Hooker wasn't worried about that, it's a very different fight. Also, I've never seen Hooker fight like that before which really makes me wonder if he was injured or something like that, because he just doesn't fight like that. He was on his back foot the entire time. I'd like to know what was going on, but I guess Hooker isn't the type to make excuses or anything.

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

Well, yes he is. He ragdolleda wrestler in Tony Ferguson, sure Ferguson is out of his prime but before Do Bronx couldn't wrestle.

Ferguson is washed, and he never had great wrestling to begin with

He has good scrambles and subs off his back, not TDD