If anyone can relate to what Michael Chandler is going through, it’s Justin Gaethje.
Their paths have been strangely similar as former champions who made a splash in their UFC debuts. But Chandler finds himself in the same spot Gaethje (23-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) was when he started his UFC career at 1-2.
Gaethje outlasted Chandler (22-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in an all-out war at UFC 268, marking Chandler’s second straight loss in the octagon. So where does Chandler go from here? Well, Gaethje, who’s currently the No. 1 contender, wasn’t deterred after his rough start and he doesn’t see Chandler being, either.
“When you go through stuff like this, you can’t look for a source of information,” Gaethje told MMA Junkie. “The only source of information is yourself, and if you’re looking for outside information, like – you’re done. There’s no coming back. So no, he didn’t ask me (advice) because he’s a warrior, and he’s not done. You’ve got to go home. You have to look at yourself in the mirror, and you have to believe in the process. You have to understand this is part of the process. So, you know, I’ve been worse, and I’ve never felt better. He’s been better. Probably never felt worse. So it just sucks. It’s a crazy game.”
Gaethje and Chandler shared a nice moment in the hospital, where Chandler received 22 stitches all over his face. Fans were longing for more action after the pair went to war for 15 minutes, but Gaethje is grateful the fight wasn’t five rounds – for Chandler’s sake.
“We had a brief conversation,” Gaethje said. “He’s so f*cking tough, man. And he was, you know, walking around, standing up, acting like he was – I was like, ‘Dude, sit the f*ck down. Stop.’ Like, let’s check all pride right now, and let’s just take care of our bodies. But ultimately, the damage that he took was exponential, and you can put on a tough face. But you know, I’m just so thankful it wasn’t five rounds because, again, I had him figured out after the first three minutes of that fight, and it was just going to – the damage incurred would have been exasperated, you know? Way more. Way more.”
Justin Gaethje: Michael Chandler not done, must ‘believe in the process’ after 1-2 start in UFC
