UFC lightweight Michael Chandler has had a lot of time to think since he last stepped in the octagon, and he believes it’s made him stronger.
Michael Chandler lost out on his dream matchup
Chandler has every right to be upset. Holding out for a dream matchup against Conor McGregor, he was strung along for two years and now heads to Madison Square Garden at 38 years old to face a completely different opponent.
Most people would feel disappointed, cheated, or even rageful after watching two of the best remaining years of their career get thrown out the window — and rightfully so. However, “Iron Mike” isn’t most people.
Chandler is no stranger to setbacks and has become a master of accepting his shortcomings and moving forward. Joining the Ariel Helwani Show this week, Chandler emphasized that his resilience during times of adversity has not only helped him prepare for his upcoming rematch with Charles Oliveira at UFC 309, but also evolve into the best version of himself.
Chandler has learned from his first loss to Oliveira
In his second UFC fight, Chandler was moments away from defeating Oliveira and becoming the lightweight champion. The former Bellator star made an emphatic first impression a few months prior with a first-round knockout over Dan Hooker, and it looked like he was going to do it again.
The explosive fan-favorite knocked down his Brazilian counterpart in the first round, but Oliveira managed to survive the five minutes by the skin of his teeth. Things quickly changed, though, as “Do Bronx” caught Chandler early in the second round and ultimately saw his hand raised with the belt around his waist.
Chandler was seconds away from achieving his dream of becoming UFC champion. Referee Dan Miragliotta could have stopped the fight after Chandler knocked down Oliveira in the first, and he could’ve let them keep fighting after Chandler got caught in the second.
Rather than ruminate about what could have been, though, Chandler appreciates the night for what it was.
“I love my losses,” Chandler told Helwani. “I love my career and what I’ve done, what I haven’t done, what I should’ve done. I love the failures because it’s a blueprint for everybody. There is no ‘just winning.’ Nobody ‘just wins’ in life, so that’s why I think people love the sport.”
Acknowledging that he made some costly mistakes in their first matchup, Chandler expressed that he’s come a long way since he last met Oliveira in 2021 and is looking forward to redeeming himself in the rematch.
“It’s so great to look back at that fight and think, man, I don’t even know who that guy is compared to who I am today.”
Chandler took the two-year hiatus as a positive
“Maybe a part of me needed to sit out,” he told Helwani.
Much like his response to the first Oliveira fight, Chandler found the silver lining after losing two years of his professional career. He likened the situation to his experience of wrestling at Mizzou when his coach Brian Smith temporarily banned him from the gym to help reset his focus.
“I put so much pressure on myself, had just been grinding nonstop for four-and-a-half years at that point… Brian Smith took the sport away from me for 72 hours and I came back and became the best version of myself and became an All-American. It’s just funny how, 15 years later, the sport of mixed martial arts Brian Smith’ed me.”
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During the two years, Chandler spent time with his wife, his sons, and himself. He began pursuing who he was outside of the octagon, which helped him appreciate how far he’d come. Instead of feeling resentment or anger, he felt joy.
“If a bad thing happens to you but a good thing comes from it, is it really a bad thing?” he asked Helwani.
Through his growth both inside and out of the octagon, Chandler emphasized that he’s re-energized and more dangerous than ever. He believes fans will see a completely new fighter — and a new end result — this weekend.
“I am just a happy fighter, and a joyful fighter is a dangerous fighter. I just feel so damn dangerous… and on Saturday night it comes to fruition.”
