Dustin Poirier Makes UFC Return to Settle the Rivalry With Michael Chandler at UFC 281 in MSG

It seems like Dustin Poirier finally has an opponent for his next fight. According to reports, the UFC wants to book Dustin against fellow top-ranked lightweight Michael Chandler. Prominent MMA journalist Ariel Helwani broke the news live on air during an episode of ‘The MMA Hour.’

However, he also mentioned that the bout has not been officially signed yet. But it seems like both fighters have agreed to face each other. The bout will go down on November 12th inside the Madison Square Garden (MSG) at UFC 281. But there is no word on whether the bout will the main event or not.

BAD BLOOD COMES TO MSG

Dustin Poirier vs Michael Chandler
November 12 | UFC 281 | NYC pic.twitter.com/sTiDTfGPoB

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) August 3, 2022

Dustin and Michael had an altercation at UFC 276. They already had some bad blood and it boiled over as they came across each other. Fortunately, they were broken up before it became physical. However, it did not stop them from hurling insults at each other. So they will finally get to settle their differences inside Octagon at the biggest stage possible.

Dustin Poirier vs Michael Chandler: Who wins at UFC 281?

Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler are ranked at no. 2 and no. 5 in the UFC lightweight division respectively. Chandler is coming off a spectacular knockout of Tony Ferguson at UFC 274, whereas Poirier lost his last fight to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. So the advantage goes to Chandler as far as the recent form goes.

But The Diamond will open as the favourite over Chandler based on his resume and name value. Both of them hit exceptionally hard and have the ability to knock out anybody in the division. Although Poirier may have the more polished striking, Michael’s unorthodox and wild style may give Dustin some problems on the feet.

Chandler has the ability to do something out of the ordinary in the fights. For example, his front kick on Tony came from a position which was not ideal to throw a kick. But Chandler’s athletic prowess made the move possible and it caught Tony off guard.

Hence, Dustin Poirier will have to be extremely careful about keeping himself open to getting hit. His powerful leg kicks will play a huge role in the fight as they may compromise Chandler’s movements. On top of that, Michael has a history of succumbing to leg kicks.

So it will be interesting to see how the fight plays out on the feet. Both will come into the bout with the intention of getting a knockout. So the prospect of seeing either fighter initiating grappling seems highly unlikely.

How do you think the fight plays out? Are you favouring Dustin Poirier to get the job done? Or do you think Michael Chandler will walk away with the victory? Let us know in the comments below.