Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler is poised to become a dominant 155-pounder.
With an unblemished career record, the Bellator Lightweight title, a top-10 world ranking and a victory over the face of a promotion, these days it’s good to be Michael Chandler.
With a 10-0 mark and eight of such wins coming by stoppage, Chandler brings an aura of excitement. There’s nothing to dislike about his game now, just don’t expect him to brag about it.
“I’m not going to be complacent because I have a ton more to accomplish and potential to reach,” Chandler told D’Arce Side Radio’s Mike Steczkowski on the MMA DieHards Radio Network.
“But it was cool to take a step back and look at everything,” Chandler added. “The first goal has finally been accomplished and now it’s time to get better.”
Fans are still talking about his win over Eddie Alvarez in November that secured the Bellator 155-pound belt, and even though Chandler has both eyes forward it’s hard to argue it’s been a career-defining victory. Chandler survived a devastating boxing display in the third round from Alvarez, once considered the best lightweight outside the UFC, only to stop the champ with a rear-naked choke in the middle of round four. It was just the third loss of Alvarez’s career, the second time he’s been submitted and his first loss in eight fights. And Alvarez, having been with the promotion since Bellator 1, is arguably still the face of the franchise. Now it’s Chandler’s image imprinted on a banner hanging at every Bellator show.
“It was great to have an opportunity to fight a guy like Eddie,” Chandler said. “But I don’t really focus on Eddie or anybody else. I’m just focused on training and getting better, my family and my life. At the end of the day all I have is 25 minutes in the cage with someone else, whoever that is.”
Some fighters’ persona in the media directly reflects their style in the cage. Loud and brash at the press conference, full speed ahead when the bell rings. Quiet and reserved behind a microphone, calculating and methodical in the cage. Chandler is a humble man yet a relentless fighter. The 26-year old has certainly proven that in his young career.
Following his defeat at the hands of Chandler, Alvarez decided not to enter the ensuing Bellator lightweight tournament. With no chance of a rematch this season through the tournament and Alvarez’s future standing with the promotion up in the air, who knows if we’ll ever see Chandler-Alvarez 2. Alvarez has publicly stated he wants a rematch, although it isn’t Bellator’s way to hand out special treatment. But Chandler knows if it were to happen Alvarez deserves it.
“Everybody knows Eddie’s contract is almost up and people want to see him in the UFC,” Chandler said. “Who knows what he’s going to do, but I think if there is anybody that deserves slack or “special treatment” it’s Eddie. If (Bellator CEO) Bjorn (Rebney) was going to bend the rules and give somebody an immediate rematch it’s Eddie. I just hope he makes the right decision for himself.”
For now, Chandler’s focus sits on the May 25 bout between Rick Hawn and Brent Weedman in the Bellator Season 6 Lightweight Tournament final. Hawn, a US judo Olympian, owns a 13-1 career record with his only loss coming via split decision to Jay Hieron in the Bellator Season 4 Welterweight Tournament final. Weedman had a 10-fight winning streak snapped with consecutive decision losses to Hieron and Chris Lozano, but has since won two straight to reach the tournament final.
“I don’t know who I think is going to win, I would say they’re very evenly matched,” Chandler said of his potential future opponents.”Each brings their own strengths into the cage. Brent is the longer, taller opponent with pretty good muay thai and slick submissions. Hawn is the bigger, faster, stronger opponent that has a big left hand. It’s going to be exciting later this month and I’m excited to face either one of them.”
Chandler admitted there was a lot of pressure going into his non-title superfight with Akihiro Gono at Bellator 67, which Chandler won via TKO in just 56 seconds. Gono, who announced his retirement following the fight, isn’t the fighter he was during the early 2000s. But that didn’t make it any less stressful for Chandler. Saying Gono has experience is like saying water is wet. He retired with 32 wins in 57 pro fights, his list of opponents including many of the best in all of mixed martial arts. For all that Chandler has accomplished so soon, he is still just three years into the sport.
“You have everything to lose and nothing to gain,” Chandler said. “The belt isn’t on the line, but your reputation is. Lose one of those superfights and the fans are not going to react well. You have to come in prepared and I was. At the same time I was excited to get the superfight.”
Still years away from the prime of his career, Chandler craves the experience fighters like Gono have. With Bellator moving to Spike in 2013 he should have no problem there.
“I want to be as active as I can young in my career,” he said. “Fighting once or twice a year is not ideal for a fighter my age. I want to show the fans how much I’ve improved and that I’m here to stay.”
“Bjorn has been vocal about how going to Spike and the Viacom deal should let us put on two-to-three tournaments per weight class, per year, so I should have no problem getting five or six fights in the next year and a half.”
Chandler, an Xtreme Couture fighter, recently had the chance to work with some members of Alliance MMA in Las Vegas. For someone constantly looking to improve, the different prospective’s and styles brought by the likes of UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz, Brandon Vera and Ross Pearson were everything Chandler hoped for.
“It’s crazy how much of a well-versed and experienced group of guys it is,” Chandler said. “Nobody has an ego and they’re all just trying to help each other out. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with them at Alliance.”
Chandler seems unstoppable right now, so the main question is what kind of opponents will he have. With the recent loss of Hector Lombard to the UFC and Alvarez very possible to go the same route, Bellator is in a tough spot. But what the organization has become very good at in its brief history is signing young and exciting fighters that can instantly break out, just like Chandler.
“Bellator has some tough, tough guys that are gamers,” Chandler said. “Hopefully they keep signing great talent and I get a chance to show the world I’m pouring my life into this sport. I’m prepared to defend this belt like it’s my life.”
