Michael Chandler had a troublesome time of it towards Charles Oliveira.
This previous Saturday, Chandler rematched Oliveira within the co-main occasion of UFC 309, dropping a choice in a five-round conflict. It was Chandler’s first battle in two years and the previous Bellator light-weight champion had a troublesome welcome again to the octagon as he instructed Bussin’ With The Boys on Wednesday.
“My physique is jacked,” Chandler stated. “My coronary heart is full. Let’s begin with the center. My coronary heart is full. … I’m simply comfortable to be dwelling. It was good. I had an exceptional coaching camp, we went to conflict, we did our factor.
“My physique, probably the most ache I’ve ever been in my complete life. Probably the most accidents I’ve had in a battle, for positive. Peed blood, irritation throughout, my entire physique is swollen. … The primary [blood in my urine] was very gentle, which was in my drug check. … It had a light-weight tint and the second was beet wanting juice. It was darkish.”
On prime of all that, Chandler additionally revealed that he injured his knee early within the battle, saying that he believes it got here throughout an trade within the first spherical and severely hampered his means all through.
“I feel one thing occurred to the knee in that first trade when he had the leg and I did that full 360, he did a kneebar factor, as a result of I walked again to the stool and I regarded down at my left leg and it was not working proper,” Chandler stated. “It wasn’t stepping, it wasn’t catching, it was unstable, it was bizarre. … You already know what it feels prefer to be on a stable basis, to stroll ahead, transfer ahead, assault, and I simply wasn’t.
“Shifting backwards was no drawback, so my physique and my mind was telling me transferring backwards was cool however transferring ahead, planting and being in his face, stress — even for those who return and watch the fifth [round] … at any time when I used to be pursuing him, my leg was nearly flopping fairly than stalking and transferring ahead. …
“We’ll see what occurred, however primarily for 23 minutes of that battle I don’t know if the leg was actually working that effectively.”
Chandler added that he’s but to have an MRI however says he’ll see to that within the coming days earlier than making his return plans. However for now he’s tentatively focusing on a return subsequent summer season at this level and at any time when he comes again, he hopes it’s to lastly settle his enterprise with Conor McGregor.
“Seems to be prefer it’s going to be Conor subsequent,” Chandler stated. “I’m not saying it’s an actual actuality, however I’m saying if he does his street comes straight by Nashville, Tennessee. His street again to the UFC, we’ve got to complete The Final Fighter, the UFC needs to complete The Final Fighter, Conor needs to battle me. He can battle anyone, however he made a dedication. …
“He’s extra sentimental and romantic in regards to the sport than folks give him credit score for as a result of he has turn out to be this large, notorious model. However he is aware of he’s nothing with out that UFC octagon, he is aware of he’s nothing with out the UFC. He was a plumber on welfare sleeping on a sofa and with out the UFC, he’s nothing.
“So I feel he needs to see by to his dedication. Fairly frankly, he wants to return again, he wants one thing to chase or else he’s going to maintain chasing the flawed issues. And if he does, there’s a man ready and I simply so occur to suppose I’m one of many prime attracts within the UFC. Individuals can pay good cash to look at me battle, it doesn’t matter what.”
