The post-Khabib Nurmagomedov era of the UFC lightweight division truly has begun as Charles Oliveira on Saturday won the title he vacated with his retirement.
Oliveira (30-8, 27 finishes) rallied from major trouble in the first round to top Michael Chandler via TKO at Houston’s Toyota Center in the UFC 262 pay-per-view main event, the stoppage coming at 19 seconds of the second round.
“I proved it to everybody. I’m the lion of lions,” Oliveira said via translator in the octagon.
In an eventful first round, Chandler (22-5, 17 finishes) had Oliveira in early trouble on the feet to start the fight, causing Oliveira to go for a takedown and winding up stuck in a guillotine before Oliveira escaped. Oliveira quickly wound up on Chandler’s back, working for a rear-naked choke even as Chandler back-dropped him in an un successful attempt to shake off Oliveira.
After getting out and standing back up, Chandler’s power shots put Oliveira in major trouble, but the Brazilian did just enough to avoid a finish sequence and pull Chandler into his guard for the final minute — still absorbing big punches on the ground.
“Michael said I couldn’t take pressure,” Oliveira said. “Then he hit, hit, hit, and I’m still here.”
The second frame was over practically before it began, with Oliveira stinging Chandler with a left and following up with a flurry against his rocked opponent. Referee Dan Miragliotta stepped in to stop it as Chandler ate undeterred punches against the fence.
“I told you I was gonna knock him out, and I came and knocked him out,” Oliveira said.
In the event’s lightweight co-headliner, Beneil Dariush entered the periphery of the contender list at 155 pounds by outgrappling Tony Ferguson en route to a decision victory.
Dariush (21-4, 13 finishes), who won his seventh in a row, appeared to compromise the former interim lightweight champion Ferguson’s knee with a heel hook late in the second round, when Ferguson (25-6, 20 finishes) appeared to grimace but didn’t tap out before Dariush let go of the hold.
The loss is Ferguson’s third in a row after a 12-fight win streak.
The other winners from the pay-per-view broadcast were Rogerio Bontorin (over Matt Schnell by decision), Katlyn Chookagian (over Viviane Araujo by decision) and Edson Barboza (over Bronx native Shane Burgos by second-round KO).
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