Michael Chandler predicts first-round KO over Charles Oliveira at UFC 262

UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler is predicting a first-round knockout win over Charles Oliveira when they meet on May 15 at UFC 262.

Chandler and Oliveira meet in the main event of UFC 262 with the vacant UFC lightweight title on the line. Coming off of a brutal KO win over Dan Hooker in his promotional debut at UFC 257, Chandler earned himself the opportunity to fight Oliveira, the UFC’s all-time greatest submission artist who has improved his standup in recent years. It’s a fascinating matchup between two of the best lightweights in the world, but if you ask Chandler, he’s the one who is going to go out there and impose his will.

Speaking to TMZ Sports, Chandler broke down the matchup with “Do Bronx” and predicted that he will be the new UFC lightweight champion after he knocks Oliveira out.

“Charles Oliveira poses a lot of threats on the ground, but I’ve never even come close to getting submitted. I’ve got kind of a sixth sense when it comes to the ground game to not be submitted. The best way I would like to go out there and finish him is just to hit him as hard as I can numerous times on the feet. Keep the fight standing, put him in panic mode, knock him out in the first round. If not the first round, dig a little deeper and go into the second, go into the third. He’s a guy who starts to slow down, especially once you start putting the pressure on him. I’m very good at keeping my foot on the gas for 25 minutes, I’ve done it a dozen times now. So man, go out there and knock him out in the first or second round, get my hand raised in front of a huge Houston crowd on May 15th, collect my paycheck, kiss my wife, and figure out what’s next,” Chandler said.

Do you think Michael Chandler will KO Charles Oliveira at UFC 262?