[autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] learned an important lesson in 2013 – one he’s carrying with him into Bellator 237.
At Bellator 106, Chandler dropped a split decision to Eddie Alvarez. The defeat provided him data to improve inside the cage. But more lessons were learned during its aftermath.
“I’ll never make that mistake again,” Chandler said. “When I lost my first fight to Eddie Alvarez years ago, I stuck my head in a hole. I got nominated for ‘Fight of the Year.’ I didn’t go to the award ceremony. I didn’t do interviews. I had (MMA Junkie) calling me … I had all the people calling me, and I didn’t want to take interviews.
“I literally was embarrassed with myself, embarrassed with the loss, and I stuck my head in the sand. I didn’t want to be heard from. And that was about possibly the worst thing I could do. ”
Chandler didn’t handle the defeat well. And he’s since learned it’s better to face losses head on, much like recently retired UFC welterweight Ben Askren. Setting a good example is important, said Chandler.
“(In 2013, I did) quite the contrary and the exact opposite end of the spectrum to what Ben Askren did,” Chandler said. “He’s a good friend of mine and he’s been out in the public. He got knocked out on a Saturday and he was (doing interviews) on Monday, not making any excuses. And that’s the way this life should be.
“When you take an ‘L,’ you get back on the horse and you move forward. It’s not even about you. It’s about the kids looking up to you. It’s about the younger generation looking up to you and how you handle the loss.”
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When Chandler lost his most recent outing to rival Patricio Freire in 61 seconds at Bellator 221 in May, he took the loss in stride. Being a professional in victory and defeat, Chandler said, will only benefit a fighter in the long run.
“For this, once again I think I gained more followers and a bigger platform for losing this last fight than I would have won the fight,” Chandler said. “The outpouring of support was nothing short of amazing. The way I handled the loss and the words that were said after the fight. We move forward. I’ve got and extra loss in the loss column, but who cares?
“This is a lifelong journey that someday we’re going to talk about Michael Chandler, the fighter. Not Michael Chandler, the winner or loser of a certain fight. I think that’s a sign of maturity, but it’s also just a sign of the evolution of the mind in this sport.”
After the defeat, Chandler said, he didn’t let the loss hinder his ongoing journey of improvement. He doesn’t feel the need for a rematch with Freire, despite the nature of their relationship.
“Was there bad blood?” Chandler said. “Yes, of course. But at the end of the day, I respect him as a man. I respect him as a fighter. I’ve got no animosity toward him. I’ve slept phenomenally the last six months. I haven’t lost any sleep over that loss. We’ll move forward.”
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Chandler (19-5 MMA, 16-5 BMMA) returns at Bellator 237 against Sidney Outlaw (14-3 MMA, 1-0 BMMA). The event marks the promotion’s debut in Japan, takes place Saturday (Sunday locally) at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, near Tokyo. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.
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