That is a lot of stitches.
Michael Chandler went to war against Justin Gaethje at UFC 268 this past Saturday and he has the damage to prove it.
Chandler and Gaethje were transported to the hospital after trading heavy punches and kicks over the course of three rounds in what is widely considered a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender. Though both men required medical attention, it was very clear who needed more of it as Chandler suffered several cuts on his face as well as one in his mouth. That was the result of absorbing 83 significant strikes to the head, courtesy of Gaethje.
In a new video obtained by TMZ Sports, the 35-year-old was seen receiving a total of 22 stitches: 6 of them over his left eye, 12 of them over his right eye and 4 of them in his lip.
You can watch video of the procedure below:
Prior to his hospital visit, Chandler shared a video on Instagram of himself in an ambulance and briefly spoke about his fight with Gaethje, which he lost via unanimous decision. He also reflected on the experience in a recent post and wrote that he had “mutual respect” for Gaethje.
“I hope you guys enjoyed that,” said Chandler (video via The Mac Life). “I appreciate you guys.”
Chandler has since returned home and was seen sporting an ice-pack to help reduce the swelling on his face. The No. 5 ranked contender may need some time away to recover from his injuries, but he has hinted at an opponent for his next Octagon appearance. Chandler would like to meet former two-division champion, Conor McGregor, who has already expressed interest in the potential bout.
Chandler has now dropped two of his last three fights, losing to Charles Oliveira and Gaethe at UFC 262 and UFC 268, respectively. The former Bellator star made his promotional debut at UFC 257, where he stunned Dan Hooker and knocked him out in the first round of their fight.