Michael Chandler issues bold promise for UFC 268 fight with Justin Gaethje

Michael Chandler isn’t backing down from his next challenge.

Set to collide with the equally exciting Justin Gaethje (22-3) at UFC 268 on Nov. 6, Chandler has made his intentions very clear.

Here is a promise to you all…I’m coming forward with reckless abandon. He will take the first backward step. #ufc268

— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) September 9, 2021

“Here is a promise to you all…I’m coming forward with reckless abandon. He will take the first backward step. #ufc268” Chandler tweeted.

“Iron” Michael Chandler (22-6) made his UFC debut in January when taking on New Zealand’s Dan “The Hangman” Hooker (20-10). Stunningly, Chandler needed only two and a half minutes to put away the notoriously durable Hooker with strikes in round one.

The former three-time Bellator lightweight titleholder went on to then challenge for the vacant UFC crown. Tasked with UFC submission ace Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira (31-8) at UFC 262 in May, Chandler came up short when suffering a second-round TKO after a strong start in the opening round.

As for his upcoming opponent in Gaethje, “The Highlight” is also coming off a tough defeat in a UFC title bout.

October 2020 saw Gaethje square off with divisional kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov in what wound up being the undefeated Russian’s swan song. Gaethje had put together a strong four-fight winning streak after a thrilling two-fight skid that followed his 2017 UFC arrival.

The reinvented former World Series of Fighting champion still wouldn’t be enough to topple “The Eagle” as Nurmagomedov advanced to 29-0 with a second-round triangle choke.

Chandler vs Gaethje goes down on the absolutely stacked UFC return to New York City’s Madison Square Garden — an event featuring two epic title rematches and numerous ranked combatants.

In the main event, the 170-pound welterweight title will be on the line as reigning champion Kamaru Usman once again looks to silence Colby Covington. Before that, strawweight champion Rose Namajunas looks to halt Zhang Weili once again.