TOKYO – Michael Chandler won’t let the change in opponent affect his serious approach to Bellator 237.
Originally scheduled to rematch Benson Henderson on Saturday (Sunday locally), Chandler instead will take on Sidney Outlaw. And Chandler, the former three-time Bellator lightweight champion, understands that Outlaw (13-3 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) has a lot more to gain in this fight.
“He’s a big body, he’s a wrestler, he’s a black belt in jiu-jitsu, so he poses threats,” Chandler told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Bellator 237 media day. “He poses, more than anything he’s the ‘Rocky’ in this story. He gets the opportunity to fight a big name in a big market in a big arena in a big co-main event. I’ve been in that position years ago against Eddie Alvarez, but I’ve been the guy now that has had to either defend my title or defend my ranking or defend my name in the last 20 fights or so, so this is familiar territory for me.”
In his last outing, Chandler (19-5 MMA, 16-5 BMMA) lost the lightweight title to Patricio Freire via first-round TKO. He was looking to get right back with a tough matchup by taking on former WEC and UFC lightweight champ Henderson until an injury forced him out.
But Chandler is accustomed to change in opponents, and while he admits that the magnitude of the fight isn’t as big, Outlaw will get the same treatment as Henderson or any of his other past opponents.
“I’d be lying if I said (the opponent change) didn’t, if there wasn’t a moment there where it affects you, but I’ve unfortunately and fortunately had a lot of experience with opponents getting hurt, injured, pulled out,” Chandler said. “It’s just the nature of the business. We go out there, train, and fight with reckless abandon. Benson Henderson is a tough guy, and I know he would never pull out of a fight unless he had an injury.
“Either way, it’s not a fight against Sidney Outlaw. It’s a fight against myself. It’s a fight against my talents, my abilities, the calling of my life, being able to go out there and perform the way I know I can perform and the way I know I need to perform.”
Michael Chandler: Sidney Outlaw is the 'Rocky' in Bellator 237 fight, but I can relate