During their highly anticipated rematch at UFC 309, Michael Chandler’s tactics against Charles Oliveira have come under scrutiny, particularly during a heated fifth-round exchange at Madison Square Garden.
Oliveira, who dominated the majority of the bout en route to a unanimous decision victory (49-46, 49-46, 49-45), expressed concerns about illegal strikes during the post-event media session.
“I’m not here to criticize, but I want to tell you something. There were a lot of blows to the back of the head. A lot of fence grabbing. There was also some eye pokes, and I was telling him (the ref) what was going on. I kept calling for his attention and nothing would happen,” Oliveira said through a translator.
The controversial moemnts culminated in the final round when Chandler, desperate for a finish after losing the previous four rounds, launched an aggressive assault. Broadcast footage clearly showed several questionable strikes landing to the back of Oliveira’s head as he attempted to defend himself against the cage.
Despite these challenges, Oliveira demonstrated remarkable resilience, managing to regain his composure and even securing back control on Chandler in the latter portion of the round. The Brazilian’s masterful performance throughout the match included dominant ground control, submission attempts, and superior striking in the earlier rounds.
The victory potentially positions Oliveira for another title opportunity, though he dismissed speculation about a future matchup with Conor McGregor, stating, “This is the guy that runs away the most in the UFC. This fight’s not going to happen.”
The New York State Athletic Commission has not yet issued any statement regarding the controversial strikes from the bout.
Montage of Chandler’s dirty fighting against Olivera in UFC 309 with bonus clips
byu/mesmeresque inufc
Michael Chandler Also Used Plenty of Dirty Moves in the Past
Dustin Poirier’s frustration with Michael Chandler’s tactics during their UFC 281 highlighted Chandler’s use of questionable techniques, particularly in round two. The bout saw Chandler land multiple strikes near or on the back of Poirier’s head, despite referees and commentators warning against it. While Chandler defended his actions by claiming Poirier turned his head and that the referee had not penalized him, video evidence suggested otherwise, with repeated blows clearly targeting prohibited areas.
The most egregious foul involved a fish-hooking attempt—one of the few moves banned even in the earliest, no-holds-barred UFC events. Chandler’s actions, including attempting to blow his nose into Poirier’s eyes, drew sharp criticism and showcased the frustrations Poirier endured before securing a submission victory in the third round.
All of Michael Chandler’s dirty cheat moments vs Charles Oliveira pic.twitter.com/OGIuxcSSCj
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) November 18, 2024
