Even though UFC Vegas 26 has yet to happen, that hasn’t stopped people from looking ahead on the calendar. UFC 262 is just over a week again and it’s expected to be an exciting event. After all, current projections have a clash between Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship as the headliner.
The lightweight title was vacated back in March after the former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov announced his retirement. Championship bouts are already intense to watch, but the stakes are that much higher when it’s a vacant title on the line.
As with any other event, sports bettors will be watching UFC 262 with anticipation. BetOnline is currently favoring Oliveira to win the UFC Lightweight Championship for the first time in his career. His odds of winning stand at -130, however, anything can change leading up to the event.
Nevertheless, the odds are looking pretty favorable for “Do Bronx.”
UFC 262 Odds: Michael Chandler (22-5-0) vs Charles Oliveira (30-8-1)
Odds via BetOnline as of Tuesday, May 11
- Moneyline: Chandler (+110) vs Oliveira (-130)
- Total: 2.5 rounds — Over (+130), Under (-160)
UFC 262: Oliveira Entering Octagon as the Favorite
Charles Oliveira has been on a roll as of late. The Brazilian fighter is entering UFC 262 after not having lost a fight since losing to Paul Felder back at UFC 218 in December 2018. Since then, he’s won eight fights in a row, with five of them coming via submission.
Oliveira is one of the top submission specialists in the game. He currently holds the record for most submission finishes in UFC history with 14.
Oliveira is also locking in an average of 2.8 submissions per 15 minutes, which shows you just how often he’s trying to make his opponents pass or tap out. It may be a bit more difficult against Chandler, especially considering how he’s never been submitted in his career, but Oliveira could get it done if given the chance.
Fortunately for him, “Do Bronx” is a pretty good striker. He’s averaging 3.22 significant strikes per minute on 52% accuracy. It might be difficult to keep up with Chandler at times, especially with his the distinct power advantage, but look for Oliveira to hold his own at UFC 262.
Oliveira was the underdog in his last two fights and walked out victorious. Only time will tell what he’ll do as the favorite on May 15.
Will Chandler Overcome the Odds?
Despite entering UFC 262 as the underdog, Michael Chandler won’t let that stop him from chasing after the UFC Lightweight Championship. An MMA veteran, Chandler spent the majority of his career fighting in Bellator before making the jump to the UFC in September 2020.
Regardless of how long it took him to get there, he has a long list of past accomplishments. After all, Chandler is a three-time Bellator Lightweight World Champion and even won his first (and only) UFC fight against Dan Hooker via TKO.
Out of Chandler’s 22 career wins, 10 are by knockout. In fact, he’s currently on a three-match winning streak and each victory has come via KO or TKO. A large part of that success is because he’s landing 4.29 significant strikes per minute on 49% accuracy. While his accuracy is similar to Oliveira’s, the fact that Chandler is landing more strikes gives him the advantage in that department.
Another thing that Chandler has going for him is his 80% takedown defense. Considering how Oliveira will be looking for a submission victory, Chandler should be able to hold his own when it comes to preventing it. Whether or not he’ll avoid tapping out for the first time remains to be seen.
However, one thing is for certain: the lightweight championship bout at UFC 262 has all the makings of a classic.
