Dustin Poirier reveals who is he favoring in the Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler fight at UFC 268

Dustin Poirier expects his former opponent Justin Gaethje to beat Michael Chandler at UFC 268.

Poirier believes that Chandler will have a tough time dealing with Gaethje’s takedown defense, and it won’t be easy for him to avoid the lightning-quick hands of ‘The Highlight’.

During his appearance on Episode 3 of the Punchin’ In podcast, the No.1 UFC lightweight contender explained why he thinks Gaetjhe might emerge victorious in his fight with Chandler.

“I kinda favor Gaethje in that matchup. Chandler is going to have trouble getting him down, hold him down, and avoid those big shots,” said Poirier.

Poirier also noted Gaethje’s efficiency in the art of kicking. He said no one has ever kicked him harder than ‘The Highlight’.

“Gaethje probably [has the hardest kicks]. He tore, partially tore my quad, Gaethje. he throws hard. In the fights, [watch] him not caring about the position and throwing kicks as hard as he can just to land them, not worried about repercussions.”

Watch Poirier talk about Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje in the video below (from 1:01:10 mark):

Gaethje and Chandler are scheduled to lock horns at UFC 268, which is likely to be held on November 6. However, neither man is interested in fighting in the state of New York. Chandler even hinted that he might have to withdraw from the fight if UFC 268 indeed takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

What happened when Dustin Poirier fought Justin Gaethje?

Dustin Poirier took on Justin Gaethje in April 2018. Headlining the event, the pair of lightweights engaged in a brutal four-round war from which ‘The Diamond’ secured a TKO victory.

Both fighters consistently found each other on the receiving end of their scathing punches. In the early moments of the fourth round, Poirier landed a clean left hand that forced Gaethje to retreat.

‘The Diamond’, however, continued pressuring relentlessly and connected with a string of punches on Gaethje before referee Herb Dean called a stop to the contest. Needless to say, both lightweights walked home with a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus.

While Justin Gaethje is set to face Michael Chandler, Poirier’s next opponent is expected to be Charles Oliveira. Should the Louisiana native fight the Brazilian, he will have an opportunity to stake his claim to the UFC lightweight title for the second time in his career.