ABU DHABI — For the casual viewer, the results seem as simple as adding one and one and getting two: Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler both looked sensational in their respective lightweight bouts at UFC 257, so why not match them up next, presumably with the vacant championship on the line? But while Poirier’s second-round knockout of Conor McGregor and Chandler’s first-round finish of Dan Hooker in his debut seem to point in this direction, one of the participants isn’t too enthused about the idea. At the post-fight news conference at Etihad Stadium, Poirier (27-6 MMA, 19-5 UFC), in so many words, said that three-time former Bellator champion Chandler is still a newbie in this neck of the woods, meaning it’s time for him to get in line. “Respect to Chandler, great win over a guy,” Poirier said. “But to come in and beat a guy I just beat and get a title shot, dude, I’ve been in – what is this? – 27, 28 fights in the UFC trying everything, fighting the toughest guys to get my hands on gold.
View original post here: