UFC 262: Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler Preview

UFC 262 goes down this weekend in Houston, Texas as Charles Oliveira battles with Michael Chandler for the vacant lightweight title in the main event.

Oliveira is currently riding an eight-fight win streak, with his most notable win coming against Tony Ferguson last December at UFC 256. On the other hand, Chandler is coming off an incredible TKO win over Dan Hooker in his UFC debut at UFC 257. The two will be fighting for the 155lbs belt, which was vacated by Khabib Nurmagomedov in February.

In the co-main event, Tony Ferguson looks to redeem himself against Beneil Dariush after back-to-back defeats. Elsewhere, Katlyn Chookagian takes on Viviane Araujo, Shane Burgos fights Edson Barboza and Matt Schnell locks horns with Rogerio Bontorin.

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Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler

Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler is a tough fight to predict because both fighters are extremely well-rounded and well-matched. Chandler’s a powerhouse on the feet, with crisp boxing, and incredible knockout power for a 155er. Oliveira isn’t as powerful, but he’s very efficient on the feet, especially with his kicks early on.

The two also like to pressure their opponents in standup, so the one who dictates the pace here would probably take the belt home. Chandler’s keys to victory on the feet are walking Oliveira down and landing a mixture of body and head strikes, while Oliveira should attack the legs to compromise his opponent’s movement.

Things get a whole lot more interesting on the mat. Oliveira is arguably the best submission grappler in the UFC right now, with 19 submission wins. Chandler is an NCAA Division 1 All-American, which means Oliveira will have to work really hard for his submissions. All in all, it’s an incredibly competitive fight, but ‘Iron’ Michael has a slight edge due to his experience competing in title fights.

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Tony Ferguson vs Beneil Dariush

Two fights ago, Tony Ferguson was the scariest man in the lightweight division, but today, he’s the underdog against Beneil Dariush. That’s how unpredictable the fight game is.

Ferguson loves creating chaos on the feet, but has looked slower than usual in his last couple of fights. Dariush is still very much in his prime, and his knockout power is no secret. The Iranian-born American can hurt Ferguson on the feet, but turning the fight into a grappling contest will be a slightly safer route to victory for him.

Tony is very tricky off his back, but he’s not the hardest man to take down and control. If Dariush adopts the same strategy as Oliveira did against ‘El Cucuy’, he can churn out a decision, or maybe a stoppage victory, but if he allows Ferguson any sort of space on the ground, he might land himself in some sort of trouble. That said, this isn’t a fight you should miss.

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Katlyn Chookagian vs Viviane Araujo

Both Katlyn Chookagian and Viviane Araujo can catapult themselves into the title race with a solid win at UFC 262. Chookagian is an extremely well-rounded fighter, with a little bit of everything in her arsenal. Araujo is a good fighter as well, but she’s far less experienced than her opponent.

Chookagian also has a height and reach advantage, which she should use to win the striking exchanges. On the mat, things get a little more interesting as both fighters have the skills to win the exchanges. Again, Chookagian’s experience is going to be key in this fight.

Shane Burgos vs Edson Barboza

The main and co-main event have got some tough competition here as Shane Burgos vs Edson Barboza promises fireworks. Both fighters are predominantly standup fighters. Barboza is known for his crushing leg kicks, which he will use to take the lead in the first round, but he tends to slow down as the fight progresses.

That’s where Burgos will start to open up, and land his shots. Burgos has a great kicking game of his own, coupled with a durable chin. He’s also a decent boxer, who should close the distance with Barboza and pressure him. Barboza is comfortable in the kicking range, therefore, putting him in a tough spot would be Burgos’ key to victory.

If he allows Barboza space, Burgos might suffer his third loss in the UFC.

Matt Schnell vs Rogerio Bontorin

Matt Schnell vs Rogerio Bontorin is a great way to kick things off on the main card. The two fighters are very talented grapplers, and they might take the fight to the mat to prove who the better grappler is. However, Schnell would like to keep the fight standing because he has a major advantage on the feet.

Schnell lands twice as many significant strikes on average per minute compared to Bontorin, who has a negative striking differential in the UFC. Bontorin’s best chance to win the fight is to take it to the mat and try and earn a submission win.

Other Fights On The Card

• Ronaldo Souza vs André Muniz
• Lando Vannata vs Mike Grundy
• Andrea Lee vs Antonina Shevchenko
• Jordan Wright vs Jamie Pickett
• Gina Mazany vs Priscila Cachoeira
• Kevin Aguilar vs Tucker Lutz
• Christos Giagos vs Sean Soriano

What are your predictions for UFC 262, headlined by Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler?