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 an alternative, he misplaced a one-sided choice, 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 absolute best comfort prize. Nevertheless, after the disappointing loss, he was left battling his personal doubts that maybe his championship desires had lastly expired.
“I bought into an SUV with my spouse and simply cried,” Chandler advised MMA Combating about his response to the loss. “I simply sat there and I used to be identical 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 tough second, however one Chandler needed to undergo 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 struggle when many fighters would instinctually go on these requests as a result of it’s at all times simpler to deal with an enormous win than a tough loss.
“It was probably the most disillusioned I’ve ever been in my complete life. Not simply in preventing, however in my complete life,” Chandler stated. “With that, I’d have interviewed with you a pair days post-fight. Truly, reality be advised, 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 reside recording a podcast.
“As a result of years in the past, it was really after I began my loss streak, I misplaced three fights in a row, 688 days with out profitable a struggle. That first struggle 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 sentiments 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 struggle was notably tough as a result of he felt so positive this was the second he would avenge a previous loss and at last vault himself again into title competition.
“I feel I used to be simply so dang positive that that is the way it’s speculated to be,” Chandler defined. “I used to be going to lose to Charles Oliveira within the first struggle, lose my alternative at a world title to then get a possibility to struggle him for the No. 1 contender spot after which struggle Islam [Makhachev], who’s arguably an even bigger title, a extra seasoned champion and I used to be simply 100% positive that I used to be going to win.
“Now, I’ve considerably licked my wounds and I’ve a brand new fireplace about me. Cooler heads have prevailed and I believed no, that is simply one other loss. No large deal. We’re going to maneuver ahead.”
Barely three months faraway from the Oliveira struggle, Chandler bought 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 preventing down within the rankings with out practically as a lot to realize from this matchup as Pimblett, however that’s additionally a part of what makes it so intriguing for Chandler.
“Primarily based on résumé, this can be a big soar up however that is the character of the enterprise, the character of the game,” Chandler stated. “You struggle the highest guys, you get alternatives to struggle for the title, you get the alternatives to struggle for a No. 1 contender and that’s what I’ve finished to date within the UFC. Sooner or later you’ve bought to struggle 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 bought these matchups, they simply should occur. Sooner or later you possibly can’t simply sit round and sit in your arms and say I’m solely preventing 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 preventing and a man who’s outdoors the highest 10.”
As a lot as Chandler continuously reiterates he has completely nothing in opposition to Pimblett and no need to speak trash about him main as much as the struggle, 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 continuously 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 shedding the struggle to Oliveira that he can’t wait to unleash on April 12.
“Is there danger concerned preventing a man outdoors the highest 10? Completely,” Chandler stated. “Is it so much higher to struggle guys within the prime 3? In fact. However I’ve had these alternatives and now it’s my alternative to proceed to indicate the followers who I’m and the distinction of the degrees contained in the light-weight division.
“Someone was going pay for the ache that I had in November. Someone was going to pay for it. Sadly, I’ve bought 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 in the case of chasing a UFC title once more earlier than it’s all stated and finished in his profession.
He was clearly devastated after shedding to Oliveira this previous November, however a bit time and distance made him notice you’re solely pretty much as good as your final struggle and so much 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 good 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 tricky dude however he wasn’t recognized by the lots. He goes on the market and sparks him and hastily 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 struggle. However Poirier stated no to the title struggle as a result of he had the third struggle with Conor. He stated no to a title struggle so subsequently I used to be the very best ranked man and I bought the title shot after Khabib [Nurmagomedov] retires. That’s simply how this sport works.”
