UFC 309: Michael Chandler BLOWS Conor McGregor fight as he suffers crushing loss to Charles Oliveira in epic thriller

MICHAEL CHANDLER's long-awaited instrumentality to the octagon ended successful heartbreak.

The instrumentality favourite returned from a two-year layoff successful the co-main lawsuit of UFC 309 successful New York to rematch erstwhile lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.

Chandler, 38, was warring for the archetypal clip since abandoning his seemingly cursed showdown with UFC superstar Conor McGregor.

The erstwhile Bellator 155lbs champ had hoped to sphere his clash with The Notorious and nonstop his revenge connected Oliveira, who got the amended of him successful May 2021.

But it wasn't to beryllium arsenic helium suffered a decision to the Brazilian bruiser.

Unlike their archetypal gathering 3 years ago, Chandler didn't travel retired the gates similar a bat retired of hell.

He adopted a much measured and methodical attack successful a bid to get to the erstwhile champion.

Oliveira was blessed to run connected the extracurricular and effort to get into striking and grappling scope by keeping Chandler connected the outside.

Chandler had occurrence with the jab aft the infinitesimal people but couldn't find a location for immoderate follow-up strikes.

Oliveira looked to instrumentality the combat to the crushed conscionable earlier the two-minute people and grounded Chandler with a makeshift slam.

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Chandler was precise cautious astir however helium got up truthful arsenic not to springiness the BJJ whizz a sniff of catching him successful a submission.

Oliveira tried to advancement done Chandler's defender earlier the circular ended but recovered himself incapable to.

Chandler recovered himself connected the extremity of a bid of limb and assemblage kicks aft the restart arsenic helium looked to probe his mode into range.

But helium recovered himself dropped by a close manus conscionable earlier the infinitesimal people and went into retreat mode.

Oliveira clocked him again and sent him circling astir the cage. Chandler saw reddish and started to unload dense shots but recovered himself being countered.

Not wanting to get into an all-out war, Oliveira changeable for a takedown and grounded his opponent.

Oliveira utilised crushing apical unit to support Chandler connected his backmost and driblet respective abbreviated elbows until the extremity of the round.

Chandler came retired hard successful the third, looking to hammer the pb limb of Oliveira with hard debased kicks.

But helium was rapidly sent into retreat mode by Oliveira's crisp boxing and muay Thai.

Oliveira secured a large takedown 2 minutes into the stanza and rapidly took the back, wherever helium threatened respective submissions.

He adjacent mixed successful immoderate recently ineligible 12-6 elbows to the apical of Chandler's dome.

Fatigue started to amusement for Chandler successful the fourth, with his large almighty punches becoming much telegraphed with each passing second.

And Oliveira beautifully work 1 of them to unafraid yet different takedown against the cage.

He threatened with respective submissions again but an exhausted Chandler managed to past the attacks.

Chandler wounded the erstwhile lightweight king aft the last restart and went successful for the kill. And helium looked acceptable to decorativeness the contention with a hellacious barrage of crushed and pound.

But Oliveira, somehow, managed to past and yet instrumentality to his feet.

Chandler rocked Oliveira with different large close manus soon aft they got backmost to their feet but had the momentum sucked retired of him with different gruelling takedown.

Chandler, however, managed to instrumentality to his feet, albeit with the erstwhile champ connected his back.

And conscionable arsenic helium did successful their archetypal meeting, helium jumped backwards with Oliveira connected his backmost - overmuch to the delight of the assemblage - who were connected their feet aft the last horn.

All 3 judges scored the contention successful favour of Oliveira, turning successful 49-46, 49-46, 49-45 scorecards.

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