NEW YORK – [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] doesn’t care about [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]’s record inside the octagon, because the entertainment factor is always there.
Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) returned from a two-year layoff on Saturday and suffered a unanimous decision loss in his rematch with Charles Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC) at UFC 309, which took place at Madison Square Garden. The lightweight contest was awarded Fight of the Night honors, but as a result the former Bellator champ saw his promotional record drop further below .500.
For Chandler, 38, the result hurts his push to challenge for the 155-pound title. But for White, the performance only further solidified what he already knew – that Chandler is a UFC lifer.
“He’s like an Arturo Gatti,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight at UFC 309. “He’s one of those – win, lose or draw, you’re never bummed out at the end of a Michael Chandler fight. … He’s always exciting, he’s always fun. The last round of that fight, he kept getting taken down. He got on his back. So when he got on his back at the end, he just stood up and started slamming him.
“The kid always tries to win. He always comes to fight and Michael Chandler’s always going to have a home here. Until he decides to retire, Michael Chandler isn’t going anywhere.”
Chandler’s layoff from competition was the product of waiting for a fight against Conor McGregor that never materialized. White said McGregor is expected to make his own return to the cage in 2025, but it’s too soon to consider putting that fight back together.
“Will he fight Conor? I don’t know,” White said.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.