When Michael Chandler accepted a rematch towards 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 choice, with Oliveira scoring 5 takedowns with practically quarter-hour of management time. After sitting out for 2 years ready for a showdown towards 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. Nonetheless, 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 instructed MMA Combating about his response to the loss. “I simply sat there and I used to be similar to I believe this might have been the final one. This sport is tough 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 could possibly be the final one.’”
It was an extremely troublesome second, however one Chandler needed to endure by way of earlier than ultimately reconciling with the setback and realizing that nothing on this sport is about in stone.
Whereas he confronted his personal inner 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 move on these requests as a result of it’s at all times simpler to handle an enormous win than a troublesome loss.
“It was probably the most disillusioned I’ve ever been in my complete life. Not simply in combating, however in my complete life,” Chandler stated. “With that, I might have interviewed with you a pair days post-fight. Really, reality be instructed, I stayed in New York for a day or two, I believe it was Tuesday morning I used to be on Bussin’ with the Boys, on the bus in Nashville dwell 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 successful a struggle. That first struggle that I misplaced to Eddie Alvarez, I hid from all people … I wished to cover from it. I used to be so embarrassed. I wasn’t able to take care of 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 troublesome 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 rivalry.
“I believe I used to be simply so dang positive that that is the way it’s presupposed 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 a much bigger identify, 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 hearth about me. Cooler heads have prevailed and I assumed no, that is simply one other loss. No massive 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 towards 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 realize 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 large leap 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 carried out up to now within the UFC. In some unspecified time in the future 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 believe wasn’t Dan Hooker outdoors the highest 10 when he beat [Matuesz] Gamrot? You’ve bought these matchups, they only should 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 might love that. I threw Arman [Tsarukyan’s] identify 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 towards 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 continually lurking across the prime 5 rankings within the light-weight division. Simply primarily based 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 struggle to Oliveira that he can’t wait to unleash on April 12.
“Is there threat concerned combating a man outdoors the highest 10? Completely,” Chandler stated. “Is it lots higher to struggle guys within the prime 3? After all. 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 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 terms of chasing a UFC title once more earlier than it’s all stated and carried out in his profession.
He was clearly devastated after dropping to Oliveira this previous November, however a bit of time and distance made him understand you’re solely nearly as good as your final struggle and lots 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 tricky dude however he wasn’t recognized by the lots. He goes on the market and sparks him and abruptly he’s in a title shot due to circumstances occurring.
“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 due to this fact 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.”
