“I think my skill set is just too much,” Chandler said. “I think my pressure is too much, my cardio, my champion mentality I’ve had since I was 14 years old, I think it’s just too much. Not that he doesn’t have a bright future, not that he hasn’t earned it to a certain degree, but he hasn’t earned a win on Saturday night compared to me.
“He’s decent. He’s not ranked or has the strength of schedule of the guys that I have fought. Now he is in this position where either he sinks or swims. This is his opportunity to prove himself, and this is my opportunity to prove to myself and prove myself to the MMA fanbase, the UFC fans out there, that I’m one of the forces to be reckoned with at the top of the lightweight division.”
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Not only does Chandler feel that Pimblett won’t be able to overcome the physical disparities between them, but he also believes the pressure of the moment may be too much for him to handle. Despite being unbeaten inside the Octagon, Pimblett hasn’t faced anyone at the level of Chandler, let alone in a five-round slot on a massive pay-per-view card in Miami.
“It’s a different level of pressure, a different level of feeling,” Chandler said. “You’re going into the middle of Madison Square Garden against a first ballot Hall of Famer. You’re talking Poirier, Oliveira, Gaethje, these guys that are first ballot Hall of Famers and on the Mount Rushmore of the lightweight division, of UFC lightweight history. So, whenever he has an opportunity to step into the Octagon with a guy like me who’s fought all of those guys, fought for a world title, was very close to becoming the world champion, it’s a different type of pressure, a different type of speed and it’s a different atmosphere. Is he ready for it? That answer we’ll find out on Saturday night.”
