NEW YORK – Michael Chandler doesn’t go the distance often, but he knows he’s in for another battle when he rematches Benson Henderson.
Former three-time Bellator lightweight champion Chandler (20-5 MMA, 17-5 BMMA) first faced Henderson (28-8 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) over three years ago, edging him out in a back-and-forth battle to retain his title.
The two will run it back in the main event of Bellator 244 on June 6 in Chicago in a title eliminator bout. They were originally scheduled to meet this past December, but an injury forced Henderson out, and Chandler faced Sidney Outlaw instead, knocking him out in the first round.
With another win under his belt, the stakes are higher for Chandler, who looks to get yet another opportunity at the title with a win – but it’s a position with which he’s certainly familiar.
“This is a fight that needed to happen,” Chandler told MMA Junkie. “The lightweight division isn’t the deepest at Bellator, so two of the top guys going at it. They were talking about it being a title eliminator – whoever wins this is going to fight for the title – and that’s kind of where I’ve been at my whole career. As soon as I beat Eddie Alvarez, I was fighting for the title or to get to that title.”
Former UFC and WEC lightweight champ Henderson has proven to be a hard out for many opponents with his cardio and toughness, having gone the distance in over half of his fights.
And for Chandler, who boasts a 75 percent finishing rate, he thinks the fight being three rounds this time plays in his favor.
“This fight poses some great threats,” Chandler said. “Benson Henderson is a hard guy – he’s not the most talented fighter, but he’s a hard guy to beat. He’s not an easy guy to beat, you’ve got to put a pace on him, you’ve got to put a gameplan on him. This three-round fight lends it’s hand more than a five-round fight would and I’m excited to – this fight is easier for me because I can put my foot on the gas for 15 minutes and put it on him and give the fans what they want and hopefully fight for the title later on this year.”
Having already competed with Henderson for 25 minutes, Chandler said he will look to approach things slightly different this time around. Instead of chasing the finish, he insists he’ll let it come naturally.
“I also know, chances of me finishing him, in my mind the way I’m approaching it, are a lot less than I fought the first fight,” Chandler said. “The first fight, I thought I was going to go out there and finish him, so you saw how I fought the first round, second round, third, fourth, fifth round. This fight, I’m going to put on a good pace, a good methodical pace. Still violent, still deadly like I always am, bite down on my mouth piece and throw techniques with ill-intent but not looking for that knockout shot – looking to really just break him.”
Bellator 244 takes place at Wintrust Arena. The night’s main card streams on DAZN.
Michael Chandler: Benson Henderson not most talented fighter, but he's hard to beat
