When Michael Chandler accepted a rematch in opposition to Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 this previous November, he was assured he was going to win and go on to compete for the light-weight title in 2025.
As a substitute, he misplaced a one-sided resolution, with Oliveira scoring 5 takedowns with practically quarter-hour of management time. After sitting out for 2 years ready for a showdown in opposition to Conor McGregor that by no means materialized, the now 38-year-old veteran felt like beating Oliveira and getting a title shot was the very best comfort prize. Nonetheless, after the disappointing loss, he was left battling his personal doubts that maybe his championship desires had lastly expired.
“I received into an SUV with my spouse and simply cried,” Chandler informed MMA Preventing about his response to the loss. “I simply sat there and I used to be similar to I feel this might have been the final one. This sport is difficult to get a title shot. It’s like catching lightning in a bottle to get a title shot within the UFC. I felt like I squandered that chance and I stated, ‘Babe, this might be the final one.’”
It was an extremely troublesome second, however one Chandler needed to endure by way of earlier than finally reconciling with the setback and realizing that nothing on this sport is ready in stone.
Whereas he confronted his personal inside doubts, Chandler by no means shied away from the highlight when it got here time to speak about his shortcomings within the Oliveira rematch. He booked a number of interviews simply days after the combat when many fighters would instinctually cross on these requests as a result of it’s all the time simpler to deal with an enormous win than a troublesome loss.
“It was essentially the most disenchanted I’ve ever been in my complete life. Not simply in combating, however in my complete life,” Chandler stated. “With that, I’d have interviewed with you a pair days post-fight. Really, reality be informed, I stayed in New York for a day or two, I feel it was Tuesday morning I used to be on Bussin’ with the Boys, on the bus in Nashville stay recording a podcast.
“As a result of years in the past, it was really once I began my loss streak, I misplaced three fights in a row, 688 days with out profitable a combat. That first combat that I misplaced to Eddie Alvarez, I hid from all people … I needed to cover from it. I used to be so embarrassed. I wasn’t able to cope with the emotions and the embarrassment and the ache of a loss. Now it’s par for the course. You’re going to win and also you’re going to lose.”
Chandler confronted the music after falling to Oliveira once more, however this combat was significantly troublesome as a result of he felt so certain this was the second he would avenge a previous loss and at last vault himself again into title rivalry.
“I feel I used to be simply so dang certain that that is the way it’s imagined to be,” Chandler defined. “I used to be going to lose to Charles Oliveira within the first combat, lose my alternative at a world title to then get a possibility to combat him for the No. 1 contender spot after which combat Islam [Makhachev], who’s arguably a much bigger title, a extra seasoned champion and I used to be simply one hundred pc certain that I used to be going to win.
“Now, I’ve considerably licked my wounds and I’ve a brand new hearth about me. Cooler heads have prevailed and I believed no, that is simply one other loss. No massive deal. We’re going to maneuver ahead.”
Barely three months faraway from the Oliveira combat, Chandler received the decision to face rising star Paddy Pimblett—6-0 within the UFC—in a five-round co-main occasion headed to Miami at UFC 314 on April 12. It wasn’t a matchup that almost all anticipated, particularly contemplating Pimblett’s lack of expertise in opposition to top-ranked competitors within the UFC, however Chandler didn’t blink on the request.
On paper, he’s combating down within the rankings with out practically as a lot to achieve from this matchup as Pimblett, however that’s additionally a part of what makes it so intriguing for Chandler.
“Based mostly on résumé, it is a big bounce up however that is the character of the enterprise, the character of the game,” Chandler stated. “You combat the highest guys, you get alternatives to combat for the title, you get the alternatives to combat for a No. 1 contender and that’s what I’ve performed to this point within the UFC. In some unspecified time in the future you’ve received to combat a man outdoors the highest 10 to remind [everybody]. No. 1 to offer them a possibility, No. 2 to maintain the division going. No. 3, not be a man that simply says sure to prime 5 opponents.
“You had [Dustin] Poirier who fought [Benoit] Saint Denis. You had [Justin] Gaethje who fought [Rafael] Fiziev. You bought all these totally different guys. I feel wasn’t Dan Hooker outdoors the highest 10 when he beat [Matuesz] Gamrot? You’ve received these matchups, they only need to occur. In some unspecified time in the future you possibly can’t simply sit round and sit in your palms and say I’m solely combating prime guys. Clearly I’d love that. I threw Arman [Tsarukyan’s] title on the market, anyone inside the highest 10 sounded nice however hey, Paddy Pimblett deserves a possibility and I deserve a possibility to go on the market and present the distinction between the fellows I’ve been combating and a man who’s outdoors the highest 10.”
As a lot as Chandler continually reiterates he has completely nothing in opposition to Pimblett and no want to speak trash about him main as much as the combat, he additionally acknowledges how a lot he has to show with this matchup.
For Pimblett, it’s an opportunity to take an enormous leap ahead in his profession by taking out a former Bellator champion and UFC title challenger continually lurking across the prime 5 rankings within the light-weight division. Simply based mostly on résumés, Chandler doesn’t get practically as a lot from a win, however that doesn’t account for the pent-up aggression he’s been bottling up since dropping the combat to Oliveira that he can’t wait to unleash on April 12.
“Is there danger concerned combating a man outdoors the highest 10? Completely,” Chandler stated. “Is it loads higher to combat guys within the prime 3? In fact. However I’ve had these alternatives and now it’s my alternative to proceed to point out the followers who I’m and the distinction of the degrees contained in the light-weight division.
“Anyone was going pay for the ache that I had in November. Anyone was going to pay for it. Sadly, I’ve received to take it out on Paddy Pimblett, however any individual was going to get it taken out on their face and their physique and their soul months after that loss as a result of that was a really painful one.”
Chandler has additionally had a change of coronary heart relating to chasing a UFC title once more earlier than it’s all stated and performed in his profession.
He was clearly devastated after dropping to Oliveira this previous November, however slightly time and distance made him notice you’re solely pretty much as good as your final combat and loads can change if he goes out and lays waste to Pimblett at UFC 314.
“It’s precisely how this sport works,” Chandler stated. “Dustin Poirier is a superb instance of that. He beat Benoit Saint Denis, who not lots of people knew. We knew who he was as a result of he’s a troublesome dude however he wasn’t identified by the plenty. He goes on the market and sparks him and rapidly he’s in a title shot due to circumstances happening.
“Just like even me coming into the UFC. I ought to haven’t gotten a title shot in my second combat. However Poirier stated no to the title combat as a result of he had the third combat with Conor. He stated no to a title combat so subsequently I used to be the very best ranked man and I received the title shot after Khabib [Nurmagomedov] retires. That’s simply how this sport works.”
