Michael Chandler Gunning To Prove He's Still Top Fighter Vs. Paddy Pimblett At UFC 314

Michael Chandler could walk away an MMA great today ... but the lightweight title contender believes he's still got a ton left in the tank, and he's intent on proving it when he steps into the Octagon against Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314!

TMZ Sports talked to 38-year-old Chandler, who's coming off two losses, just days before his highly anticipated co-main event scrap vs. Paddy "The Baddy" ... slated to go down Saturday night in Miami.

"It's another opportunity for me to prove either I am who I say I am or I'm not. Do I still have it? There's a lot of questions that need to get answered. And I think the answers are going to be emphatic and the answers are going to be in my favor."

Michael, now ranked seventh, is accustomed to fighting strictly top-ranked fighters (his last opps were Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, Tony Ferguson, Justin Gaethje, and Oliveira again) ... something Paddy hasn't done. Pimblett, 30, is on his way up ... and Chandler is his highest-ranked opponent.

We asked Iron Mike about accepting the dangerous fight ... which could tank his ranking if he were to emerge the loser.

"I think my last fight was a number one contender fight. I had the opportunity to be able to put myself in title contention. I fell short," Chandler explained ... "So, with that, I got to deal with the repercussions. Now I'm in a position where I need to go out there and fight somebody, get a win."

Bottom line for Chandler ... "Make friends with risk and you'll never be alone a day in your life. This entire life that I have built has been built upon taking big risks, throwing myself into the fire, and this is no different."

His plan for Saturday?

"It's going to be fireworks. I plan on going out there, stealing the show at UFC 314, getting my hand raised, and calling some people out."

And, with a win, Chandler thinks anything is possible.