One of the most affected by Conor McGregor’s delayed UFC return is UFC-ranked #7 lightweight contender Michael Chandler. The 38-year-old has been sidelined since 2022, with his career on hold as he awaited a high-profile fight against the Irishman. Hoping for a lucrative ‘red p-nty night,’ ‘Iron’ endured over 18 months of anticipation, only for the fight to be delayed multiple times and eventually canceled in August.

At that point, Michael Chandler abandoned the idea of waiting for Conor McGregor and took on former division champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden last month. In a grueling near five-round contest, ‘Iron’ found himself outmatched by Oliveira’s superior ground game, ultimately suffering a disappointing unanimous decision loss. The defeat added to a challenging stretch for the former Bellator champion, leaving him with a 6-5 record in his last 11 bouts, including five losses. His overall career record now stands at 23-9, marking a journey spanning over a decade.

Recently, Michael Chandler reflected on his mental health journey during his decade-long MMA career in a conversation with Sean Kelly on the Digital Social Hour podcast on YouTube. When asked about his mental well-being throughout his career, ‘Iron’ traced his struggles back to his collegiate wrestling days. He shared, “It’s been good. You know, I think I took some losses that I needed to take to really take ownership of my mind. I think I vastly underperformed in wrestling. I self-sabotaged myself. I didn’t believe in myself enough; I had a small view of myself, and it held me back.”

However, Michael Chandler’s transition to MMA at the age of 23 marked a turning point in what had seemed to be a waning athletic career. He embarked on an impressive 12-fight winning streak, progressing from regional circuits to the Bellator octagon, where he captured the lightweight title by dethroning Eddie Alvarez.

Yet ‘Iron’s’ momentum faltered when Alvarez avenged his loss in their rematch, reclaiming the championship and halting Michael Chandler’s reign. Reflecting on this difficult period, Chandler recalled, “I went 688 days without winning a fight because I was not prepared to lose. I don’t think we should focus on losing; I don’t think we should really acknowledge the fact—you should acknowledge that losses are going to happen in life, but don’t focus on them so much that they become self-fulfilling prophecies.”

Despite these setbacks, Michael Chandler found a way to bounce back, just as he has throughout his career. Drawing from his journey, the former Bellator champion shares an important lesson with the younger generation: “You must be prepared to lose if it does come.” Learn to face failure head-on and cherish the successes that follow. With that mindset, let’s now look at what lies ahead in Michael Chandler’s next chapter.

Michael Chandler’s roadmap for 2025: Does it include Conor McGregor?

Despite feeling betrayed by Conor McGregor, many fans believed Michael Chandler had completely given up on the idea of fighting ‘Notorious’. However, they were mistaken. The former Bellator champion remains hopeful for a ‘red p-nty night.’ Last month, instead of having his hopes crushed, the former Bellator champion’s confidence was actually boosted following his eighth appearance in the UFC cage. Now, at the twilight of his career, ‘Iron’ is determined not to stop after nearly having his career stalled for almost two years.

For next year, Michael Chandler is laser-focused on fighting, aware that he may only have a few years left in the UFC. Eager to end his MMA career on a high note, the former Bellator champion outlined his plans for 2025 during an interview with SHAK MMA last month. ‘Iron’ stated, “I’m not looking to wait until June or July [to fight]. We could see Chandler vs Oliveira, Chandler vs Conor [McGregor], Chandler vs Islam [Makhachev], Chandler vs Max [Holloway].”

What’s your opinion about Michael Chandler’s 16-year journey in the octagon? Do you think the former Bellator champion could have dominated the UFC if he had debuted earlier, replicating his success in Bellator?