By The Numbers: Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler
Charles Oliveira understands the considerable amount of peril in which Ultimate Fighting Championship matchmakers have placed him. In fact, he embraces it.
The former UFC lightweight titleholder will attempt to move to 2-0 in his head-to-head series with three-time Bellator MMA champion Michael Chandler when their rematch serves as the UFC 309 co-main event on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Oliveira cut down “Iron Mike” with second-round punches in their first encounter in 2021. He steps back into the spotlight having won 12 of his past 14 bouts. Oliveira last saw action at UFC 300, where he wound up on the short side of a split scorecards against Arman Tsarukyan on April 13. Chandler, meanwhile, has lost three times in four outings. The Kill Cliff Fight Club rep last saw action on Nov. 12, 2022, when he tapped to a rear-naked choke from Dustin Poirier in the third round of their UFC 281 pairing.
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As Oliveira and Chandler approach their second showdown at 155 pounds, a look at some of the numbers that have accompanied them to this point:
35: Years of age for Oliveira, who was born in
Guaruja, Brazil, on Oct. 17, 1989.
21: Oliveira wins by submission, accounting for 62% of his career total (34). His methods of choice: nine rear-naked chokes, five guillotine chokes, three anaconda chokes, one triangle armbar, one armbar, one calf slicer and one triangle choke. Oliveira holds 10 other wins by knockout or technical knockout (29%) and three more by decision (9%).
41: Seconds needed for Oliveira to put away Darren Elkins at UFC Live 2 on Aug. 1, 2010. More than 14 years later, it remains his fastest finish to date.
17: Consecutive calendar years in which Oliveira has fought at least once. In addition to his 0-1 mark in 2024, he went 6-0 in 2008, 4-0 in 2009, 4-1 in 2010, 0-1 with one no contest in 2011, 2-1 in 2012, 0-1 in 2013, 3-0 in 2014, 2-1 in 2015, 0-2 in 2016, 1-1 in 2017, 3-0 in 2018, 3-0 in 2019, 2-0 in 2020, 2-0 in 2021, 1-1 in 2022 and 1-0 in 2023.
262: Combined victories between the 10 men—Tsarukyan, Islam Makhachev, Paul Felder, Ricardo Lamas, Anthony Pettis, Max Holloway, Frankie Edgar, Cub Swanson, Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller—who have defeated Oliveira. They sport a cumulative .723 winning percentage at 262-100-1.
38: Years of age for Chandler, who was born on April 24, 1986 in High Ridge, Missouri.
11: Chandler victories by knockout or technical knockout, accounting for 48% of his career total (23). His list of UFC victims: Tony Ferguson and Dan Hooker. Chandler owns seven other victories by submission (30%) and five more by decision (22%).
1,229: Days spent by Chandler as Bellator lightweight champion. He held the company’s 155-pound title from Nov. 19, 2011 to Nov. 2, 2013, from June 24, 2016 to June 24, 2017 and from Dec. 14, 2018 to May 11, 2019.
4: Sub-minute stoppages on the Chandler resume. He disposed of Salvador Woods with a rear-naked choke in 59 seconds at Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” on May 15, 2010, dismissed Chris Page with a guillotine choke in 57 seconds at Bellator 32 on Oct. 14, 2010, took care of Akihiro Gono with punches in 56 seconds at Bellator 67 on May 4, 2012 and punched out David Rickels in 44 seconds at Bellator 97 on July 31, 2013.
.805: Cumulative winning percentage between the seven men—Poirier, Oliveira, Will Brooks (twice), Justin Gaethje, Patricio Freire, Brent Primus and Eddie Alvarez—who have beaten Chandler. They boast a combined record of 196-47-1.
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