Grant Dawson: 'Michael Chandler doesn't belong in the Top 15'
01/04/2025 05:21 PM
Former three-time Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler has gone 2-4 in the UFC since his arrival in 2021. His two wins are over Tony Ferguson and Dan Hooker. His losses are to former champion Charles Oliveira (twice), Justin Geathje and Dustin Poirier.
Chandler is ranked No. 7 in the UFC's 155-pound division but rising lightweight Grant Dawson doesn't think Chandler should be ranked at all.
"I definitely think there are people that definitely do not belong in the Top 15, let along the Top 10," Dawson told Inside Fighting. "If you look at someone like Michael Chandler, he's 2-4 in the UFC. Put his record up against my record. I'm 11-1 in the UFC, assuming I beat Diego Ferreira (at UFC 311 on Jan. 18). 11-1 in the UFC compared to 2-4 in the UFC.
"And you say, 'Yeah, the 11-1 guy not ranked. The 2-4 guy ranked in the Top 10, Top 7. It doesn't make any sense," Dawson continued. "And then you've got these guys that, they're not looking to fight the up and comers. They need to take Michael Chandler out of there. If Beneil Dariush loses (to Renato Moicano at UFC 311), he said that he's probably going to be done if he loses. As soon as that fight is over, assuming he loses, get him out of there."
Dawson sits just outside of the Top 15 rankings but could arguably be ranked. A win over Ferreira would likely be enough for him to crack the Top 15 rankings.
