MMA UK

Charles Oliveira Doesn’t Want “Chandler’s Place” in Case of a Win at UFC 309: “McGregor Is Not Our Goal”

Alan Oliveira 27/09/2024

Charles Oliveira will face Michael Chandler at UFC 309 on 16th November. The American was expected to be Conor McGregor’s next opponent but decided to stop waiting for the Irishman and move on with his career in the division. Does a win for the Brazilian mean “taking Chandler’s place” in a possible money fight against Conor? Not according to Oliveira’s coach, Diego Lima. “McGregor is not our focus right now; we always aim for the belt. We wouldn’t turn down the fight, of course, but we plan to fight for the belt in the summer of 2025, against Makhachev or Tsarukyan,” he revealed to the Brazilian website PVT. Although they are making plans for 2025, Charles and his team know they cannot overlook Chandler. The American is ranked 4th in the lightweight division, while Charles is ranked 2nd. In 2021, they faced each other, and for two judges, Chandler scored a 10-8 in the first round but ended up losing by TKO 19 seconds into the second round. “We knew Chandler starts the fight at a fast pace and that we would have to withstand the initial pressure. Charles held on; Chandler had given everything to win the fight in the first round and couldn’t handle Charles in the second. We’ll aim not to have the same scare in the next fight, win, and wait for the title shot,” said Lima, who pointed out the favourite for the likely fight between champion Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan. “I have a lot of respect for Arman; he deserves to be the next contender, even though Charles came closer to finishing the fight against him in three rounds. But there’s no way not to see Makhachev as the favourite.” Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler is the co-main event of UFC 309, which will have Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic as the main fight. The event will take place at Madison Square Garden, in New York.

Dana White Confirms Tom Aspinall as Backup Fighter For UFC 309 Main Event

Frankie 18/09/2024

Dana White, the UFC CEO, has officially confirmed that Tom Aspinall will serve as the backup fighter for the highly anticipated main event at UFC 309. This event is scheduled to take place on November 16 at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City. White’s announcement indicates that Aspinall will be the first call made should anything prevent the heavyweight title clash between champion Jon Jones and challenger Stipe Miocic from proceeding as planned. “Yes,” White said when asked about Aspinall serving as backup. “Tom Aspinall is next in line for anything that happens after this fight.” The upcoming bout between Jones and Miocic marks a significant moment in the heavyweight division, particularly because it has been awaited for over a year. Originally slated for UFC 295 in November 2023, the matchup was postponed due to an injury sustained by Jones. As a result, the heavyweight division has seen a degree of stagnation, with fans eager for resolution. In the interim period, Aspinall has solidified his status by winning the interim title, most recently defeating Serghei Pavlovich and then defending against Curtis Blaydes, both fights concluded in the opening minutes. Although Jones has declared that his fight against Miocic may be his last, White expressed skepticism regarding this claim, suggesting that the opportunity for continued competition may still lie ahead for the champion. “Why speak to him after this [past weekend’s] event?” White remarked, indicating the need to assess the outcome of the upcoming fight before making any further plans. The promotional head has yet to discuss upcoming fights with Jones, preferring to focus on the immediate narrative surrounding UFC 309. As the date approaches, the anticipation builds not only for the main event but also for Aspinall’s potential role as a backup fighter. Fans will undoubtedly be watching closely, given the implications such an arrangement has for the future of the heavyweight division and Aspinall’s standing within it. Overall, UFC 309 has become a focal point for discussions within the sport, with both the hyper-competitive nature of the heavyweight ranks and the promising talents of fighters like Aspinall attracting significant attention.