The last time the combat sports world saw Michael Chandler in action, the former Bellator MMA lightweight champion was laying the proverbial wood on Derek Campos at Bellator 138 with a first-round rear-naked choke submission on June 19.
It was a victory he desperately needed, as Chandler was mired in a three-fight losing streak that had observers questioning his future and wondering whether or not he had already reached his ceiling. As soon as Campos tapped, Chandler climbed atop the cage in defiance. He was back.
“It was so liberating,” Chandler told Sherdog.com. “I finally got that off my chest, got that win out of the way, and I finally felt like I could be me again.