It was dicey for a few moments for the Brazilian after the first round, but he bounced back from nearly getting stopped during the first round to blast Chandler and captured the vacant lightweight championship.
A right hand sent Oliveira back into the cage, and Chandler teed off with a barrage of punches and elbows to leave Oliveira bloody and bruised walking back to his corner to end the opening round. It looked to be Chandler’s fight and only a matter of time before he walked out the 155-pound champion.
But the one-minute in-between rounds is all Oliveira needed to gather himself and plot a punctuating comeback.
When the second round began, Chandler immediately landed a shot, and Oliveira countered with a blistering left hook to hurt Chandler. Sensing the opportunity was there for the taking, Oliveira connected on a picture-perfect right hand and then another right. Chandler attempted to create space, but Oliveira wasn’t giving him anything of the sort. Another left hook sent Chandler to the mat one final time. A barrage of short left hands and referee Dan Miragliotta jumped right in and stopped the fight.
Oliveira (31-8, one no-contest) jumped the Octagon to the commentary team and hugged UFC president Dana White.
The victory is Oliveira’s 17th via stoppage, which breaks the UFC record for the lightweight division. The championship win is Oliveira’s ninth consecutive win with eight of those coming via inside the distance.
Oliveira has jumped into the crowd. He is over the moon.
Oliveira breaks the record set by Michael Bisping at UFC 199 for most UFC fights needed to win UFC gold. Bisping needed 26. Oliveira breaks it at 28. And he’s only 31.
The win is the latest in a nine-fight win streak. Oliveira hasn’t lost a fight since a TKO loss to Paul Felder in December 2017. Now he assumes the throne left behind by Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement.
With a thrilling win under this spotlight, bigger and better matchups await the new champion.
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