Just days out from his UFC 309 return fight, Michael Chandler has claimed he has the key to stop modern men from being “soft” – urging them to stop lying to themselves and breaking promises made to better themselves.
Chandler, the current number seven ranked lightweight contender, returns to action following a two-year layoff this weekend in the co-headliner of UFC 309, taking on former titleholder, Charles Oliveira in a five round rematch.
Without a bout since 2022, former three-time Bellator MMA champion, Michael Chandler most recently suffered a third round rear-naked choke submission loss to common-foe and former interim titleholder, Dustin Poirier.
Sat out for the last two years in a long period of inactivity, Chandler waited for a welterweight grudge fight with former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor – before they were booked to headline UFC 303 back in June.
And left without an opponent, the Missouri native withdrew from the card with Dublin counter striker, McGregor fractured a toe just two weeks out from the International Fight Week main event.
Michael Chandler discusses “soft” males in modern society
Vowing to work his way to a title fight in 2025 with a victory over Oliveira to avenge his knockout loss to the Brazilian three years ago, Chandler claims a lot of men in modern society are becoming “soft” – by failing to follow up on promises made to themselves.
“For me, I think it’s gratitude. I’m so grateful for what I have, and being able to express your emotions,” Michael Chandler told Nina Marie-Daniele during a recent interview. “I mean, it’s pretty easy for me because of what I do for a living. People know I’m tough. You can Google my name and see how tough I am, so I have the leeway to be soft and open. Yesterday I cried like three times in an interview.
Soft like breaking promises to yourself, doing things you know you’re not supposed to do, continuing to not do the right things. That’s what makes you soft. Breaking promises to yourself eats into your self-image, and then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. You just keep doing the wrong thing. You’ve got to do what you need to do, not what you want to do. Stop being soft, boys. …Like that guy laying on the floor! Stop being soft, stand up!”