It’s been over two lengthy years since we’ve seen Michael Chandler step into the octagon, and the dude has gotten completely ripped over that point.
At UFC 274, “Iron Mike” hit Tony Ferguson with a entrance kick to the face that many dubbed their knockout of the yr for 2022. He adopted it up with a fiery professional wrestling model name out of Conor McGregor. It was efficient … maybe a bit too efficient.
Chandler would go on to misplaced to Dustin Poirier on the UFC’s annual November foray to Madison Sq. Backyard in November. After that he was chosen as McGregor’s comeback struggle. He’d coach reverse McGregor on the thirty first season of The Final Fighter. He’d signal a contract to struggle Mac at UFC 303 in June, solely to have “The Infamous” withdraw over a damaged pinky. He’d look forward to a verbally agreed upon December date, just for it to go up in smoke.
And at last, he accepted the McGregor struggle wasn’t taking place and agreed to struggle Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 on November sixteenth. 735 days since his final struggle.
You’ll be able to’t say Chandler hasn’t stored busy, although.
Whereas Conor McGregor has been ingesting at bars to advertise his booze empire, Michael Chandler has been lifting bars in anticipation of a struggle. His Instagram was at all times awash in coaching images and photographs. Now he’s displaying off all of the lean positive factors he’s achieved as we roll into the ultimate two weeks earlier than his return. And hoo boy is that this man jacked.
So jacked, actually, that his Instagram feedback have been affected by accusations that he have to be on PEDs. Not so, in keeping with Chandler. Only a few days in the past he shared the newest check outcomes from UFC’s companions at Drug Free Sports activities Worldwide.
“We’re happy to tell you that [your urine sample] which you offered on fifteenth October 2024 returned a NEGATIVE consequence from the lab,” an e mail from the testing firm learn. “Than you in your contribution in supporting a clear UFC.”
“For the naysayers and small minded commenters,” Chandler wrote above an image of him flexing ever fiber of his being.
Chandler will want greater than beef to stroll away from UFC 309 with a win. Charles Oliveira is a troublesome opponent on any day and is coming into Madison Sq. Backyard trying to reset after a disappointing two loss run. Can this new specimen that’s returning after two years beat “Do Bronx,” or will ring rust outweigh any mass Mike has added over his prolonged absence from the cage?
