Michael Chandler Urges Dustin Poirier To Fight Conor McGregor Again Instead Of Charles Oliveira

Mandatory Credit: Josh Hedges - Zuffa LLC & Jeff Bottari - Zuffa LLC

Despite rounding out his trilogy rubber-match with former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor at UFC 264 last July, former interim lightweight best, Dustin Poirier remains adamant that he will meet with the Dubliner in a fourth bout, given the bad blood between the two, as well as the less than ideal circumstances which surrounded his first round doctor's stoppage TKO win.

Lafayette native, Poirier is primed to meet with recently minted undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira before the end of the year, however, recent vacant title chaser, Michael Chandler supports the claim that Poirier should skirt a title shot, in favour of a fourth bout with McGregor.

Headlining UFC 264 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada -- Poirier scored an opening round TKO victory over rival, McGregor, after the Dubliner suffered a fractured tibia in his left leg with just 10-seconds remaining in the opening round. 

Afterwards, McGregor, who had made threats to both Dustin and his wife Jolie Poirier, maintained that he would fight Poirier for a fourth time. And the Louisianan shared the same sentiment, despite the fact McGregor is facing at least a year on the sidelines as he recovers from the gruesome leg fracture.

According to the aforenoted, Chandler, however, he has urged Poirier to take a third consecutive bout with McGregor rather than an immediate title challenge against Oliveira -- citing the rather critical use of trash talk from the Crumlin native aimed at Poirier and his family.

"Man, if I'm Dustin Poirier, I'm just waiting for Conor (McGregor) 4," Chandler said during a recent interview with Helen Yee. "If (Dustin) Poirier goes and wins the title, can Conor come right back and fight Poirier if he has the title? Crazier things have happened. So if I'm Poirier, I'm just waiting out and waiting for Conor 4, especially after he said numerous things about my wife and my kids and (threatening to) killing me, all that kind of stuff."

"But I also know and this is a testament to Poirier as a competitor, he wants to win the ultimate prize in mixed martial arts," Chandler explained. "He's been an interim champion, but he hasn't full-fledged 100% undisputed champion. So I think the competitor in him will go fight Charles Oliveira, but there's an inkling, there's a part of me that says (Poirier) might as well wait out and get the big money fight in Conor." (H/T MMA Junkie)

While Chandler has given his opinion on which fight Poirier should take next, the Sanford MMA mainstay is widely expected to meet with would-be common-foe, former interim lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje in his next outing.

However, recent doubt was cast on the pairing by Chandler himself, who claimed he would not be fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus in time for UFC 268 on November 6. -- with the promotion targeting a Madison Square Garden landing pad for the event.

Last week, reports emerged detailing how a mandate would be introduced to the state of New York in September, which would require proof of full vaccination against the novel coronavirus in order to enter a restaurant, gym, or indoor entertainment venue.