The co-main event of UFC 314 was seen as a huge crossroads fight for two big personalities in the lightweight division.
After opening up a nasty cut on Michael Chandler with a well-drilled knee, Paddy Pimblett secured the victory via ground and pound to enter the top 10 at 155-pounds.
There was a lot of mutual respect between Pimblett and Chandler but that didn’t hide how important this matchup was for both men who are at very different points in their careers.
‘The Baddy’ will now move on to what will likely be a title eliminator as he continues to climb up the rankings in search of a title shot.
As for ‘Iron’ Mike, this defeat sends him back to the drawing board in a big way with Chandler referencing the support of his loved ones in a post-fight statement.
Michael Chandler uses his UFC 314 loss to teach his son a valuable life lesson
Michael Chandler immediately exited the Octagon and headed to the back after he was stopped in the third round at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
A massive night in his career was made all that more emotional for him due to the fact that his oldest son was in attendance on April 12.
Chandler and his wife Brie have two sons and they’re both clearly huge sources of motivation for the 38-year-old veteran every time that he makes the walk to the Octagon.
The result may not have his gone his way this past weekend but the Missouri native was able to turn a negative experience into a positive one for his eldest son, Hap.
Chandler posted a video on Instagram where he consoled his son backstage, telling him to repeat his words back to him in order to learn a vital lesson about adversity.
“Okay, listen. We’re going to work extremely hard, we’re going to try and do the best that we can. Sometimes, we’re going to fall short. Gonna come up short but we’re always going to keep our head up. Even if you get some cuts on your face. I love you, cheers.”
Chandler reflected on this conversation in the caption of the post where he wrote about what his son experienced and what he hoped to accomplish in sending him this message.
“MOMENTS. A Nutella cheers. This was the first time Hap saw me lose a fight in person. He was full of emotions back stage, and rightfully so. He was thrown into the pit of a valley he didn’t see coming.
“The blood and swelling only exacerbated the fears of how daddy was doing as he held my hand as I got stitched up. But in the midst of the chaos and pain was a perfect time to show him how a man responds. Don’t tell them, show them. Bested but never beaten.”
Michael Chandler should retire unless he gets offered something special
It’s clear from Michael Chandler’s reaction to his loss at UFC 314 that being there for his family is his number one priority in life.
With that in mind, ‘Iron’ Mike should ride off into the sunset and whilst his career inside of the Octagon hasn’t gone to plan, it certainly produced some incredible moments.
We’ve now seen what it looks like when he takes on the younger rising contenders in the division and it’s not something that fans will be clamouring to see again.
Unless the UFC is able to put something together where he faces a fellow veteran or established name in a big marquee matchup for one last dance, now might be the right time for Chandler to bow out.
