Michael Chandler is back.
One of MMA’s most reliable entertainments and violence has been shelved over the past couple of years, mostly due to the seemingly endless wait for a fight with Conor McGregor. UFC 303 appeared to be the long-awaited resolution to the Chandler-McGregor saga last July, but McGregor suffered a fracture in his little toe that forced him to withdraw, continuing to leave Chandler in limbo. After initially being patient, Chandler finally decided enough was enough last summer. He moved on to a rematch with former UFC lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira. The pair clash in a five-round, non-title bout in the co-main event of UFC 309 on Saturday in New York City.
Despite the terrible circumstances of McGregor’s bout, Chandler hasn’t completely given up hope. ‘The Notorious’ has spoken openly about his plans to return next year and Chandler intends to be ready no matter what he does in the meantime.
“Connor does what he wants, I do what I want, and there’s 600 other people on the list. He and she get to do what they want. And that’s it,” Chandler said on Uncrown’s “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “I think it’s been a great process for me. It was helpful.
“If he comes back, his path back to the UFC goes through one man. It goes through Nashville, Tennessee, and we have to finish TUF 31. So, I’ll take care of business Saturday night and see what’s next.”
Michael Chandler’s comeback fight will take place in the same historic arena where we last saw him compete. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Chandler, 38, was widely criticized by those in the sport during his hiatus. It’s not often that MMA sees players last such drastic lengths without injuries or other forced setbacks.
As the most resilient participant in the McGregor saga, Chandler places no blame on his rival or the promotion. While pointing fingers and making excuses is easier, he brings it all back to himself and the control he had from the beginning.
“Ultimately, it’s about maximum accountability as well,” Chandler said. “I could have, at any time – in the first moment that [UFC CBO] Hunter [Campbell] He called me and said, “Hey, we thought it would be that.” [this date]. This won’t happen until here at least. At any one of those moments I could have said, “Hey, Hunter.” I’m done, man. I can’t wait any longer. It’s on me. I am in control of my career. They didn’t ask me to wait. They said: This is the time when it will happen. Do you want to wait or do you not want to wait? I will wait. This is on Michael Chandler. This is the decision made by Michael Chandler.
“Yes, there were a lot of outside circumstances, but the burden is solely on my shoulders. So, I can’t be mad at Conor for pulling out of that fight. I can’t be mad at the UFC for not booking the fight.” Fight early enough.
He continued: “If people realized that happiness, joy, peace and contentment are on the other side of the feelings of power that you have over yourself, when it comes to taking ultimate responsibility for yourself and your actions.” “Because one thing is for sure. We will get what we deserve. What we work for, what we don’t work for, the corners we cut, the things we turn over, the discipline we have, the choices we make, we will get what we deserve. That’s how I live.” “It has my life.”
The former three-time Bellator lightweight champion has been a must-see competitor in the cage throughout his career, making it difficult for fans to go two years without watching him compete. Coincidentally, Oliveira’s next bout with Chandler takes place at the same venue where he last played, the world-famous Madison Square Garden. This time, Chandler is hoping to walk away with his hand raised after suffering his first career loss by submission when he was defeated by Dustin Poirier in November 2022.
Getting back into the win column wouldn’t be the only mistake Chandler appears to be right in his fourth overall appearance for MSG. Chandler is 0-3 in the building, and Oliveira is a previous opponent he has already beaten.
Oliveira vs. Chandler 1 was a car crash throughout May 2021. The division’s first lightweight title fight after Khabib Nurmagomedov saw Oliveira’s reign begin with a second-round stoppage. Although it was the sixth loss of Chandler’s 31-fight career (23-8), it came with one of the worst results.
“This was probably the most painful moment of my career after the loss,” Chandler said. “Because this was my only chance, I thought.
“You never know what this sport is about, man. It’s what it’s done for me lately. It’s the loss and all of a sudden – I’m the flavor of the week this week. People are excited to watch me fight. You what happens next are you able to rebuild yourself and then no fate God would there be any injuries or falls from the cart?
“This was my only chance, I thought, to finally make it – this dream I’ve had since I was 22 when I entered the sport, following Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley and saying: ‘Hey, one day I want to be that.’” Man No. 1 in the world. Charles Oliveira has shattered that dream, and now it’s a coincidence that I now get this opportunity against him again to right that wrong and get back on the winning streak and become a top contender, then fight one of the greatest lightweights of all time Ages, which I think would be Islam [Makhachev]. I think he is superior to Armaan [Tsarukyan] When they fight in January I think or whenever. So it will be interesting.”
Chandler’s hopes of competing for a second gold medal after a potential Oliveira win seem optimistic, but crazier things have happened. Starting off with an exciting win over ‘Du Bronx’ would theoretically move Chandler back into the top three at lightweight, with Oliveira currently ranked second and Chandler seventh.
In their first encounter, Chandler had several moments to shine, surviving on the ground and damaging the Brazilian with his strikes. He rewatched the first round last week to prepare. Second round? It wasn’t much, and it only lasted 19 seconds.
“The second round was me making a really silly mistake that I’ve since cleaned up,” Chandler said. “I was so young, man. Even though I was old, I was so young. I was so new to the sport. I had two-and-a-half minutes of the Octagon experience. And man, I’ve only grown as a player.” A fighter, but obviously the last couple of years I’ve been out of competition, I’ve changed a lot of things and worked on them and turned into a completely different guy.”
Chandler entered the UFC in 2021 preaching that he was “not here for a long time, here for a good time,” and he stayed true to that quote. It’s been a twisty ride and he expects more good to come out of it, regardless of the results.
“If something bad happens to you – the Connor fight, the build-up, the biding time, the fight falling, the bag squandering, all the naysayers pointing fingers at me, laughing at me – if something bad happens to you but something good comes from it, was it really a bad thing?” Chandler said. “This has been revealed to me many times in my life. And on Saturday night, it will come to fruition.”
