Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler Set to Open UFC 268 Pay-Per-View Card

A potential all-action lightweight clash with championship implications will kick off the pay-per-view portion of the UFC 268 card.

Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler will be the opening act for Saturday’s main card at Madison Square Garden, it was announced during "The MMA Hour” on Wednesday. It was generally expected that Gaethje vs. Chandler would be the third bout on the pay-per-view draw just ahead of the strawweight championship co-main event between Rose Namajunas and Weili Zhang and the welterweight title headliner pitting Kamaru Usman against Colby Covington.

Instead, Gaethje vs. Chandler will precede Shane Burgos vs. Billy Quarantillo and Frankie Edgar vs. Marlon Vera.

Gaethje hasn’t competed since falling to Khabib Nurmagomedov in a title bout at UFC 254 in October 2020. During media day on Wednesday, “The Highlight” was adamant that he will deserve another opportunity at lightweight gold if he defeats Chandler.

"If I win Saturday and I don't get a shot, I riot," Gaethje said. "There's no way I can let that happen and go away quiet.”

Chandler is also coming off a title bout, when he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Charles Oliveira in a matchup for the vacant strap at UFC 262 this past May.