Michael Chandler fought severely compromised after a round 1 battle with Charles Oliveira at UFC 309.
Michael Chandler's rematch loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 featured hard efforts from both lightweight stars. Chandler's ability to go the distance with Oliveira is particularly notable after a recent admission.
Chandler lost to Oliveira by unanimous decision in the UFC 309 co-main event last Saturday in New York City. Despite a turnaround in the fifth round, Chandler was unable to withstand Oliveira's pace and pressure for most of the match.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Chandler was battered and bloodied in the Octagon after 25 minutes of fighting Oliveira. His toughness cannot be questioned after UFC 309, especially with his stunning ability to put on his promoter hat in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
Injuries are common among professional athletes, especially professional fighters, in the middle of a competition. Chandler has suffered from a series of injuries throughout his illustrious career but has become a UFC fan favorite despite his ailments.
Just minutes into the UFC 309 co-main event, Chandler suffered significant leg trauma, which affected his performance and hampered his strategy against the wily Oliveira.
Michael Chandler fought most of the UFC 309 fight on one leg
In a recent appearance on the Bussin' With The Boys podcast, Chandler detailed a serious leg injury he suffered in Round 1 against Oliveira.
“I think something happened to the knee during that first exchange when he had the leg and I did that full 360, he did a knee bar thing, I walked back to the stool and I looked at my left leg and it wasn't working right Chandler said. “It didn't step, it didn't catch, it was unstable, it was weird…
“Every time I chased him, my leg almost flopped instead of stalking and moving forward. We'll see what happened, but for 23 minutes of that fight I don't know if the leg really worked that well. (h/t MMANews)
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
The extent of Chandler's leg injury is uncertain at the time of writing, but he anticipates a return to the Octagon in mid-2025. He still wants the Conor McGregor fight after years of waiting for them to end their coaching rivalry on The Ultimate Fighter 30.
Despite a 2-4 run in the Octagon, Chandler remains an important part of the UFC roster, according to Dana White. His ability to fight through serious injuries at UFC 309 will likely make him an even bigger star than before.
Michael Chandler remastered Conor McGregor's callout after UFC 309
Chandler called out McGregor just minutes after coming up short against Oliveira at UFC 309. He and McGregor were set to headline UFC 303 before the Irish superstar withdrew due to a toe injury.
White says McGregor's planned UFC comeback is set for late 2025, although it is still uncertain whether it will become a reality. McGregor has not appeared in the Octagon since losing to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
Despite his drop in the lightweight rankings, Chandler could potentially face another big name in the meantime if he doesn't want to wait for McGregor again. A win over Oliveira likely would have given Chandler another lightweight title against the winner of Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan.
It's uncertain how long Chandler will have to recover from his leg injury, but he appears to be on track to return to the cage next year.
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