Home MMA Dana White recalls his first encounter with Michael Chandler

Dana White recalls his first encounter with Michael Chandler

UFC president Dana White recalled his first meeting with former Bellator Champion and the newly signed UFC lightweight, Michael Chandler.

Michael Chandler is not a new name for MMA fans around the world. Chandler is the former Bellator lightweight champion and has won several championships around the globe in different MMA organizations. Since getting into the UFC many UFC fighters have called him out but he has kept his eyes on the top fighters in the game which includes the current UFC lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov and the interim Champ Justin Gaethje. Other fighters on his radar are Mcgregor, Ferguson, and Poirier.

Dana White praises Chandler

At UFC 254 Khabib Nurmagomedov will defend his title against Gaethje, Chandler is the backup of the main event if someone falls out. UFC President Dana White ahead of UFC 254 recalls the first time he talked with Michael. Speaking to BT Sport ahead of UFC 254, White spoke about the first time he spoke with Michael on the phone.

Another great kid,” White said of him. Loved talking to this kid on the phone. He and I talked on the phone one time. I was taking off into the air on a plane and he and I talked for five minutes. I hung up the phone, I called my lawyer, and I said, ‘I don’t care what it takes, sign this kid. I want him. I like him and I want him.’ We talked for five minutes on the phone. That’s all I needed to do, was hear him for five minutes. What a great, great kid this kid is.”

Chandler (21-5 MMA, 18-5 BMMA), has been the Bellator lightweight champion for a whopping three times. He has wins over notable names like Patricky Freire, Eddie Alvarez, David Rickels, Derek Campos, Benson Henderson, Brandon Girtz, and many more.

Chandler is fresh off his first-round knockout victory over former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson. He has won his last two outings. Before the rematch with Henderson, he defeated Sidney Outlaw via first-round knockout. Immediately after signing with the UFC Chandler agreed to be the backup for the UFC 254 main event which impressed Dana White.

Again, if you look at the history of Khabib fights, anything is possible,” White said. “So for him to come out and take this chance, to possibly get this title fight, brilliant. I mean it’s what you should do. I mean it’s why Gaethje is here right now.”

At UFC 254 Michael Chandler is going to be watching the fight unless someone falls out, but even after that, he has many options to fight in the future.

Who would you guys love to see Chandler fight?

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