Charles Oliveira vowed to finish Michael Chandler at Saturday's UFC 262.
It was dicey for a few moments for Oliveria, but he bounced back from nearly getting stopped during the first round to blast Chandler out at 0:19 of the second round to capture the vacant lightweight championship.
"I deserve it, and I wanted to show that I'm the best in this category," Oliveira said to Joe Rogan through an interpreter. "I'm proving to everybody I'm the lion of lions."
Chandler started as a man on a mission, snatching Oliveira's head and locking him in a guillotine choke. Oliveira slithered out and was able to get the advantage while looking for a submission.
Chandler made it back to his feet and went to work. 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.
"At Shoot Box, Macaco Gold Team, we have a saying, 'It can rain stones, but the stones are gonna come back,'" Oliveira said about his comeback win.
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.
Here is what happened at UFC 262.