Welcome to the UFC, “Iron” Michael Chandler. The American lightweight star made a stunning debut on Sunday, using all of two and a half minutes to first stalk and then shut out Dan Hooker in the UFC 257 co-main event in Abu Dhabi. Then came the call outs. “I gotta get something off my chest,” said Chandler in the cage, post-fight. ‘This is the greatest moment in my professional life. Conor McGregor. Surprise, surprise. There’s a new king in the lightweight division. Dustin Poirier. Your time is coming. And Khabib [Nurmagomedov] if you ever see fit to grace us with your presence back here in the UFC Octagon, in your quest for 30 and 0 you gotta beat somebody. So beat me – if you can.” “THERE’S A NEW KING IN THE LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION!” @MikeChandlerMMA put the division on notice after his debut win at #UFC257 pic.twitter.com/UTBc1TdDsK — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 24, 2021 It was a brilliant straight left to the chin that put the Kiwi’s lights out. It was a right to the guts that set up the TKO. And all questions about how the former Bellator champ might go on the biggest stage there is were duly answered. “We throw punches in bunches,” said Chandler. “We keep it simple. [Referee] Mark Goddard gave him every opportunity to stay in the fight and we were able to finish. I just feel extremely blessed.” UFC 257: Rodriguez knocks out Ribas in confusing finish Chandler (22-6) came in unranked, Hooker (20-10) at No 6. But now Chandler should surely leapfrog to near the top of the rankings. It started with Chandler owning the centre of the cage, and Hooker leaning in with calf kicks and trying to win control. There was little chance of that, and Chandler picked out a few straight rights, then got the Kiwi near the cage before the final damage came. “It’s been such a long road,” said Chandler. “Lotta ups, couple of downs. But every road has lead me to this. Just a small guy from a small town that got beat down a couple of times but who’s pulled himself up from his boot straps, dusted himself off and here we are, baby. Let’s go get that title shot soon.” The hype around Chandler had been that he was the best lightweight outside the UFC before signing on with the Las Vegas-based outfit last September. Across a decade fighting under the Bellator banner he’d had three separate reigns as the champ in their version of that division. Chandler has built a growing reputation as a striker after entering the world of MMA post a stand-out high school and college wrestling career. Believe every word of that hype. Hooker had promised to provide the testing material on debut, giving the Kiwi thrasher’s willingness to engage, relentlessly. Not a bad UFC debut for @MikeChandlerMMA #UFC257 pic.twitter.com/9PhUnKJx0g — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 24, 2021 But he never got the chance. Both fighters spent significant talk sessions throughout the week focusing on what this fight would mean, given the fact the division has a retired fighter in Russian Nurmagomedov (29-0) still officially down as its champion. Irish superstar McGregor (22-4) had stoked the flames at the official pre-fight press conference, with the former champ and world No 4 urging both fighters to “let the shots fly” and blast their way into title contention. Looks like Chandler listened.