With Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement finally being accepted by Dana White and the UFC as official, the UFC Lightweight Championship is back up for grabs. The top two contenders in the division will fight for the title this Saturday night in Houston as Charles Oliveira takes on Michael Chandler in the main event of UFC 262.

Oliveira vs Chandler UFC 262 preview

Charles Oliveira (30-8-0) has been on a tear of late with an 8-0 run that includes five submission wins, two knockouts and one dominant decision win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 256. Oliveira appeared to be on the decline in his career when he went on a 2-4 run from 2015-2017, but he has found a second wind and has earned this title shot.

Michael Chandler (22-5-0) has spent the majority of his career in Bellator, where he was a three-time lightweight champion. He has won each of his last three bouts via first-round knockout, including his UFC debut against Dan Hooker at UFC 257 in January. Chandler is 10-2 over his last 12 fights, with five knockouts over that stretch.

Oliveira vs Chandler betting predictions

If the odds at the top UFC sportsbooks are any indicator, this should be an exciting main event between two fighters with contrasting styles. Charles Oliveira will be looking to take this fight to the mat, where he has earned 19 of his 30 professional wins by way of submission. Michael Chandler is a strong grappler with a collegiate background in wrestling, but his heavy hands are what have earned him this quick shot for a championship in the UFC. He will be looking to keep the fight off the mat and to lure Oliveira into trading blows with him.

It doesn’t feel like a fight that will go the distance. Oliveira isn’t afraid to trade haymakers and Chandler isn’t afraid to wrestle. Regardless of what direction the fight goes in, both of these men will be looking for a statement win with a finish at all times. It’s too close to call, but we lean towards Chandler here. He has never been submitted due to his wrestling ability and should be able to get out of trouble if the fight goes to the floor. Oliveira, meanwhile, hasn’t faced anyone with this much power during his recent hot streak, and it feels a bit more likely that he gets caught with a knockout punch than Chandler gets caught in a submission manoeuvre.