About Michael Chandler
Michael Chandler will always remember November 19, 2011, as a great occasion. After all, he put Eddie Alvarez, the then-Bellator Lightweight Champion, to the test that day at Bellator 58. And in round four, he defeated one of the best in the game at 155 pounds thanks to a knockdown punch and a rear naked choke, despite being knocked out by Alvarez in round three. And after that victory, Chandler was invited to compete on a top MMA platform.
Here is his story.
- Date of Birth: Michael Chandler was born on April 24, 1986 in High Ridge, Missouri.
- Training Camp and Fighting Organization: Chandler trains with The Alliance. He fights for Bellator Fighting Championships.
Early Life
Chandler was raised in High Ridge, Missouri by Michael Sr. and Betty Chandler. He was the second of four children.
Martial Arts and Sports Background
Chandler studied at Cedar Hill, Missouri’s Northwest High School. He simply had a really successful high school career there. According to reports, Chandler obtained three football letters, was on the honor roll every term of his high school career, and came close to winning the state wrestling championship during his senior year (coming in second). During his senior year, he received the Most Valuable Wrestler award and was chosen for the All-St. Louis Team.
However, Chandler wasn’t a big recruit, so the University of Missouri allowed him to walk on as a wrestler. Naturally, that didn’t stop him from qualifying for the NCAA four times while at the university. For his fifth-place NCAA result in his senior year, Chandler was awarded an All-American. He also finished second in the Big 12 Championships in 2008 and 2009. He graduated with a personal finance management services major with a wrestling record of 100–40. (his minor was in real estate).
Fighting Style
When asked to describe himself as a fighter in his Bellator profile, Chandler had the following to say:
“Direct and always in your face. I feel that I am always evolving and willing to learn.”
There is certainly a lot of truth to how Chandler describes himself. Simply put, he’s an outstanding wrestler and cardio machine who is relentless in his pursuit of takedowns. Chandler is also willing to strike, as he showed while knocking Eddie Alvarez down. On top of it all, he is a threat to stop fights by submission, particularly from the top position on the ground.
Some of Michael Chandler’s Greatest MMA Victories:
- Chandler defeats Rick Hawn by rear naked choke at Bellator 85: As Matt Hughes used to say, you’re not a true champion until you defend your title. When Chandler defeated Hawn in convincing fashion, that’s exactly what he did- he defended his title.
- Chandler defeats Eddie Alvarez by rear naked choke at Bellator 58: Alvarez, by all accounts at the time, was one of the best MMA lightweights in the world. So by defeating him in a back and forth Fight of the Year candidate, he netted the biggest win of his career by a mile.
- Chandler defeats Patricky Freire by unanimous decision at Bellator 44: Chandler was able to utilize his stellar wrestling capabilities to repeatedly take down and control a very tough Freire en-route to winning the Bellator Lightweight Tournament Final and gaining a shot at then champion Eddie Alvarez.
- Chandler defeats Kyle Swadley by TKO at FB- First Blood: Getting your first professional MMA win would seem to make the list, no? This was Chandler’s.
