How Michael Chiesa thinks he factors into top of lightweight division before UFC 223

LAS VEGAS – For the past several weeks, Michael Chiesa has split his training camp for UFC 223 between Syndicate MMA and the UFC Performance Institute, and it’s been great.

No, really, it has. It’s just that Las Vegas resident Kevin Lee also uses the UFC PI on a regular basis.

And so, as Chiesa  (14-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) has prepared to meet ex-champion Anthony Pettis (20-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC) at the April 7 pay-per-view event, he’s had to cross paths with the man who choked him out and who invoked his mother during the heated build-up to his last fight.

What can you do?

“I don’t like the guy, but I respect him as a competitor,” Chiesa said today during a media session to promote UFC 223. “We actually had a little locker room discussion the other day and talked about a potential rematch in July. That’s just locker room talk. But, you know what, it can happen. It’s been thrown around between he and I, so we’ll see what happens.

“I just got to stay focused on Anthony Pettis. That’s where my mind’s at, that’s where my focus is, and I’m really excited for April 7.”

As Chiesa should be.

His loss to Lee last June came in controversial fashion. While it wasn’t the return Chiesa, No. 9 in the latest USA TODAY Sports MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings, envisioned following a 14-month layoff, he feels ready to make a statement at the expense of No. 12 Pettis, a struggling former champion still with name value that he views as the right opportunity for this moment.

“I’m all about quality right now,” Chiesa said. “… Here I am doing a media scrum before the biggest fight of the year against a former world champion. That’s a good mindset to have, because it’s gotten me into a good fight.”

In the grand scheme of things, Chiesa’s fight with Pettis is just one important lightweight division domino to fall in April. At UFC 223, the title will be decided in the main event between No. 2 Tony Ferguson and No. 3 Khabib Nurmagomedov, with the winner expected to face No. 1 Conor McGregor upon his return. No. 13 Al Iaquinta takes on No. 15 Paul Felder also on the same night.

Then there’s a pair of pivotal main events in consecutive weeks, with No. 5 Justin Gaethje vs. No. 10 Dustin Poirier headlining April 14’s UFC on FOX 29, as well as No. 8 Lee vs. No. 6 Edson Barboza in the UFC Fight Night 128 headliner on April 21.

“That’s a heavy load of lightweight fights, and that’s really good,” Chiesa said. “That’s what this division needs.”

As for how Chiesa ultimately fits into the title picture, the goal is to go undefeated in 2018 and finish the year as No. 1 contender.

“I’m not here to be second best. I’m here to be world champion,” Chiesa said. “When the day comes I lose the drive to win a world title, then I’m just done. What’s the point of being in the pinnacle of the sport if you’re not striving to be the best at it? It’s an exciting time to be a lightweight.”

“My goal is to end this year as No. 1 contender,” he continued. “I’ve got to go make a statement. I’ve got to beat Pettis better than Poirier did. I’ve got to do better than the other guys (did vs. Pettis). That’s a tall order. We’re talking Max Holloway, Rafael dos Anjos; we’re talking some big-name guys. I’ve got to do it better than them.”

Doing that would be a good start to reaching his goal.

For more on UFC 223, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.