COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – Grant Dawson is doubling down on his stance toward Michael Chandler in the UFC lightweight rankings.
Dawson (23-2-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC) never thought Chandler deserved to be ranked and has reiterated his position after Chandler was finished by Paddy Pimblett in Saturday’s UFC 314 co-main event in Miami.
Chandler (23-10 MMA, 2-5 UFC) is now on a three-fight losing skid and has lost five of his past six.
“I’ve been calling out Chandler for years,” Dawson told MMA Junkie. “I’ve always thought Chandler was undeserving of being in the top 15. He’s now 2-5, I believe, in the UFC. All good guys for sure, but we’re all fighting good guys. If Michael Chandler’s next fight is a big name, not an up-and-comer, I think the UFC is doing a disservice.”
Dawson admits Pimblett far surpassed his expectations after dominating Chandler and stopping him by TKO in Round 3.
“I thought he looked great. I thought he looked much improved,” Dawson said of Pimblett. “I, from Day 1, was picking Paddy to beat Michael Chandler, and I didn’t think he would do it like that. I thought Michael Chandler was going to be winning the entire fight and then do something Michael Chandler does and find a way to lose. But, no, he got his butt kicked the entire time. Paddy is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I’m interested to see who they match him up with next.”
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