Not one person was on their seat as Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler put on a classic in the UFC 309 co-main event.
At the end of five rounds, Oliveira won all three score cards, 49-46, 49-46, 49-45 in an absolute barn burner of a rematch.
Chandler and Oliveira met in the Octagon again over three years since they met for the first time to fight for the title vacated by Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2021.
In their first meeting, Chandler came seconds away from winning UFC gold in his sophomore effort in the organization before Oliveira was ultimately saved by the horn in the first round.
Do Bronxs secured a second-round TKO over Chandler and submitted Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje in the following outings. However, he forfeited the title after missing weight for the Gaethje fight.
Charles Oliveira scored a unanimous decision over Michael Chandler at UFC 309 in New York
The Brazilian would lose the fight for the vacant belt against Islam Makhachev and knock Beniel Dariush out in the first before falling in the No. 1 contender fight against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300.
On the other hand, Chandler sandwiched a spectacular knockout over Tony Ferguson between losses to Gaethje and Poirier, both at Madison Square Garden.
The Missouri native then took a long layoff, waiting for the Conor McGregor bout that was signed, sealed, but not delivered.
The pair went head to head in a season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023 and were set to headline International Fight Week in July before McGregor pulled out with an injury.
Whether or not the sport’s biggest star will step foot in the Octagon again remains a question, hence Chandler taking the rematch with Oliveira rather than waiting and training in vain.
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