The UFC Seems Interested in Booking Chandler vs. Gaethje

The UFC’s lightweight division is loaded with some of the best fighters in the sport. Interestingly, the title is now up for grabs with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement from the sport. New reports indicate the UFC is looking to book Chandler vs. Gaethje in what could be a number-one contenders march later this year.

This is a fight many fans have been calling for. Gaethje is a powerhouse coming off a title fight. Chandler burst onto the UFC scene with a 1st-round TKO over Dan Hooker in his last bout.

Here’s what you need to know about this exciting matchup.

Who are the Top Contenders in the UFC’s Lightweight Division?

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s run as the UFC lightweight champion has come to an end. It’s a shame, as he is just 32 years old and has dominated almost every man he faced in the cage. He seems ready to end his sporting career, however, and is passing the torch to other fighters in the division.

There is now a race to see who are the true top contenders in the division. Unlike some of the promotion’s other weight classes, there is no clear answer. Arguments can be made for several different fighters receiving the next crack at the world title.

Dustin Poirier’s recent win over Conor McGregor certainly warrants a title shot. Instead, however, he seems focused on taking a third fight against the Irish superstar. It will likely be one of the biggest fights in UFC history.

Charles Oliveira is another name that’s being tossed around for a title fight. He’s riding an eight-fight win streak including a recent domination of Tony Ferguson. Oliveira is dangerous everywhere and poses some serious problems for every fighter in the division.

Those are just two names in the mix. Islam Makhachev is also quickly becoming a must-watch fighter at lightweight. He beat Drew Dober from start to finish just a couple of weeks ago. As a longtime training partner of Khabib Nurmagomedov, there’s no ceiling to his potential.

No one has been officially booked into a title fight at lightweight yet. It now appears the UFC is targeting another bout that is almost guaranteed to determine the true number-one contender for the belt.

Chandler vs. Gaethje Could End Up Taking Place This Summer

Justin Gaethje has been an elite fighter in the lightweight division for years. In October of 2020, he finally received a shot at the lightweight championship of the world against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Most online sportsbooks listed Justin as the underdog, yet many fans believed he had the skills to dethrone the champion.

Ultimately, Khabib once again proved he is the best in the world. He took Gaethje down in the second round and eventually secured a triangle choke submission. “The Highlight” has been inactive since that loss.

Michael Chandler made the move from Bellator to the UFC this past January. He took on Dan Hooker in his first bout and many felt it was an extremely tough test for the newcomer. It took Chandler less than one round to earn a TKO victory.

New reports claim the UFC is interested in booking Chandler vs. Gaethje sometime soon. This may very well determine the next challenger for the UFC lightweight belt. That could come against any one of the other lightweights in the sport.

Nothing has been set in stone yet. The UFC has yet to even announce when or where this fight could take place. It makes sense that it would happen sometime this summer, though. Perhaps even as the co-main event to the McGregor-Poirier trilogy fight.

The UFC’s lightweight division is more competitive than ever before. Stay tuned for more updates on the fight between Chandler and Gaethje over the next few weeks!

There is Still Time to Bet on UFC: Holland vs. Brunson Online

The UFC is working hard to book huge fights on a weekly basis. This Saturday, the UFC is set to return with a massive middleweight fight between Kevin Holland and Derek Brunson. The undercard of this event is stacked with talent, too.

Bovada is offering odds on all of these bouts! Kevin Holland comes into the main event as the -175 favorite. Derek Brunson is a savvy veteran of the fight game, but he comes into this bout as the +145 underdog.

Many hardcore fans of the game are looking forward to the lightweight clash between Gregor Gillespie and Brad Riddell. These two men are both extremely skilled. They also happen to have vastly different fighting styles.

Gregor Gillespie is one of the most relentless wrestlers in the fight game. He hasn’t competed since a devastating knockout loss to Kevin Lee, but seems ready for a big comeback. He enters this bout as the -250 favorite.

Brad Riddell trains under the highly-touted City Kickboxing Gym in Auckland, New Zealand. He’s a world-class striker with a highly underrated ground game. Ridell comes into this fight as the +195 underdog.

There are some amazing fights being scheduled at 155 pounds. How do you think Chandler vs. Gaethje plays out? Let us know in the comments section below.