Welcome to another edition of our daily MMA Roundup to find the biggest and hottest stories from the world of mixed martial arts over the last 24 hours. To start this one off, we’ll take a look at lightweight star Michael Chandler, who shared a message for his former promotion, Bellator. Thereafter, we’ll shift to the news of a fellow lightweight fighter, who’s competing at UFC 311.

It appears that Renato Moicano, who’s taking on Beneil Dariush this weekend, is going to welcome another member to his family. Finally, we’ll end this roundup edition with Israel Adesanya, who confessed recently to former rival and champion, Robert Whittaker. So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

Michael Chandler’s emotional message to Bellator includes a ‘thank you’ to a former UFC champion

Michael Chandler hasn’t yet won a championship fight in the UFC, but he did achieve that feat during his time in Bellator. However, it’s sad news for Bellator, who are set to dissolve soon following the merger with the PFL. Nevertheless, ‘Iron’ cherishes his time there, and recently came across a highlight video of his fight against former UFC champion Eddie Alvarez, whom he defeated to win the lightweight title for the first time.

“The one that put me on the map… it was an honor [Eddie Alvarez],” Michael Chandler wrote on X. The 38-year-old was a three-time lightweight champion in Bellator, which has surprised many fans as to why he’s been on the losing side in most of his UFC bouts. Well, while Chandler continues to chase the title in Dana White’s promotion, his former promotion would now go down in history as one of the most legit rivals to the UFC during the 2010s before it ceased to exist.

Chandler may not have won a title in the UFC, but he still remains one of the most entertaining fighters on the roster. From the All-American lightweight, let’s now move on to another exciting lightweight fighter, the Brazilian #10-ranked Renato Moicano.

Renato Moicano is on the verge of becoming a father of two children

One of the most intriguing personalities in the UFC, Renato Moicano, shocked the world when he announced that his father was having a child at 62 years old. This was back in February last year, and he stated that he was looking to try to become a father, and guess what? It looks like he’s on his way now. Ahead of his fight against Beneil Dariush, in the second episode of the UFC 311 Embedded vlog series, Moicano revealed that he and his wife are expecting their second child in the first half of this year.

“My wife is five months [pregnant]. So, in the… beginning of June, we’re going to have another son,” Renato Moicano added. The Brazilian star appears to be very happy with the way his life has been going, giving the nation of the United States its flowers for making his dreams a reality. “That [Coming to the US] was the best decision that I ever made because now I have a house, I have [a] business but I am happy. Life is good.”

Well, things could get even better if he can edge past Beneil Dariush at UFC 311, who’s on a 2-fight losing skid. But before we get to that fight on Saturday, let’s take a look at our last big story of the roundup.

Israel Adesanya befriends Robert Whittaker

Israel Adesanya has not only made waves in the UFC but also on social media, as his YouTube channel is about to hit one million subscribers soon. Recently, ‘Izzy’ announced that he’ll be uploading a show on his channel that’ll feature Robert Whittaker, named ‘Step Brothers’. He shared a picture from their video shoot on social media, and it appears that Adesanya has taken a real liking to his former rival, whom he defeated back in 2022.

“Did we just become best friends?” Israel Adesanya captioned the picture with this quote on X, making fans wonder about how good a friendship the two middleweight stars may have developed after having faced off against each other twice inside the Octagon. Well, it remains to be seen because we could get an answer when their collaborative shows drop the first episode.

What do you think of Michael Chandler’s time as a Bellator champion? Will Renato Moicano’s oncoming baby give him the much-needed fuel to decisively beat Beneil Dariush at UFC 311? What about Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker’s budding friendship? Let us know what you think about this edition of our daily roundup in the comments below while letting us know if we missed out on any big stories as well.