Michael Chandler knows when he gets in the cage, he is a different man.
Being a fighter at the very top of the game takes many skills and discipline. Many UFC fighters who are in the top ten of their division have been practicing martial arts for many years and have spent uncountable hours honing their craft. Still, some of the most skilled fighters sometimes get caught up in the excitement and brutality of a fight. Michael Chandler knows something about this.
Chandler is getting ready for his next fight in the UFC Octagon. He will be stepping in against Tony Ferguson this weekend at UFC 274. Both men are known brawlers and have been pitted against the best out there. Chandler is coming off two losses, one a title shot; the other, an absolute slugfest against Justin Gaethje. Chandler spoke a bit about his mindset when he is in the cage.
“Although I do fight in a fan-friendly fashion, I don’t think that is the most important thing until I get in there, because that guy can’t be trusted,” Chandler told Yaho Sportso. That Michael Chandler who straps on the gloves and bites down on the mouthpiece and the cage door closes, he can’t be trusted. So he just goes out there and sometimes goes on autopilot and bloodshed.”
The fight against Gaethje saw both men transported to the hospital afterward. It was a Fight of the Night award winner but Chandler explained later that he never wants to fight that way again. Ferguson is known for his wild fights as well and could bring just as much heat to Chandler as Gaethje did.
Chandler knows what fighting inside that cage does to him and although he may not want to repeat his last outing, he explained that sometimes the fighter within takes control.
The fight against Ferguson will be featured on the main card with a lightweight title fight as the headliner. A good showing by either man could draw them one step closer to a title shot against the night’s big winner.
Do you think the fight between Chandler and Ferguson will be a stand-up war?
Continue Reading Chandler: The Brawling Michael Chandler Can’t Be Trusted at MMA News.