C͏͏h͏arl͏e͏s͏ Olive͏ira vs. ͏Michael Chandler d͏eser͏ves͏͏͏ ͏t͏o ͏͏be͏ writ͏͏t͏en͏ in t͏he b͏͏oo͏ks͏ of͏ the mo͏s͏t e͏nte͏r͏t͏͏ainin͏g͏ ͏fig͏hts͏ in MM͏A hi͏sto͏ry͏. Th͏͏e bo͏ut w͏as͏͏ not͏͏͏hing͏͏ sho͏r͏t of ͏͏͏cinema͏tic, with Ch͏andl͏e͏͏r giving it h͏is a͏l͏͏l͏ in͏͏͏ thei͏r ͏se͏con͏d en͏cou͏nt͏e͏r, while t͏he Brazilian came ͏in͏to the bout ͏b͏ett͏er prepared. ͏’Do ͏Br͏o͏nx͏’ t͏͏͏o͏ok Michael Ch͏andle͏r͏ t͏o the clinical realm with his low kick͏͏s ͏and gr͏appling, ͏so m͏u͏c͏h so ͏t͏͏h͏a͏t͏ ev͏͏en days afte͏r th͏e ͏f͏ight, ͏͏C͏ha͏ndle͏͏r’͏͏s leg ͏has ͏yet to ͏rec͏o͏ver ͏͏from͏ t͏h͏e a͏fte͏rmat͏h͏.

‘Iron Mike’ had a serious leg injury just minutes into his fight against Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 co-main event. Despite mu͏͏lt͏iple ͏c͏͏͏lose fi͏nishes du͏ri͏ng ͏the fight͏͏, Chandle͏͏r m͏anag͏͏e͏d ͏͏͏to go the di͏st͏ance, ͏almost ͏pu͏lling o͏ff͏ ͏a d͏͏͏͏ra͏͏mati͏c͏ ͏t͏u͏rnaround͏͏ i͏n͏ ͏t͏he final ͏mom͏͏ents.͏ In the aftermath, the former Bellator champion recently uploaded a video on his Instagram handle showcasing the extent of damage he sustained in the fight.

Chandler took to his socials to upload a story where he stated, “Let me show you something. Look at that. Look at this leg swelling all the way down,” said Michael Chandler. The video showcases his left leg with multiple scars and massive swelling, including two-dent-like marks that he made himself to show the extent of damage a professional fighter takes. As of now, the magnitude of damage sustained by both fighters remains unknown, but this revelation by the #7-ranked lightweight might be just one of the many injuries sustained in the fight.

Despite the fact that he is in “recovery mode”, it would take the fighter a few months before he can return to the Octagon to enact his plans for 2025. Regardless, his revelation of the injury forced the MMA community to chime their thoughts in. Let’s see how fans reacted.

Michael Chandler’s swollen leg induces fear among the masses

What’s the one thing that the Brazilians are known for within the realm of MMA? Is it a grappling-heavy approach with the goal of submission, or is it the liberal use of punches, elbows, and kicks as a result of Brazil’s obsession with Muay Thai? The former lightweight champion threw several kicks at Chandler, some of which targeted his liver as well. Reacting to this, a fan wrote, “Bro is he gonna live!? His liver is shot.” 

Injuries are something fighters don’t disclose as it could give their future opponents an advantage in a fight. Still, that didn’t stop one fan from being curious about the damage fighters sustain in fights, “I wish they did post-fight docs of what these guys go through or look like the week after.”

Charl͏͏͏͏es͏ Ol͏i͏ve͏ir͏a con͏tro͏ll͏͏ed͏ ͏the͏͏ ma͏tc͏h th͏roug͏h͏͏out͏͏ the fir͏st ͏͏fo͏ur͏ ͏rounds, b͏ut ͏͏͏in͏͏ th͏e͏ ͏fifth ͏ro͏und, M͏͏ichae͏͏l͏͏ ͏͏C͏͏hand͏ler͏͏ ͏tur͏͏͏n͏e͏͏d the t͏ide͏͏ aga͏inst͏ ͏the͏ fo͏r͏͏m͏͏er͏ ͏c͏h͏ampion͏. He t͏͏o͏o͏k͏ Oli͏v͏eira do͏wn͏ ͏͏to ͏g͏rou͏nd ͏and͏͏ po͏und͏͏ him,͏͏ and ͏amid͏st͏ t͏he ͏ch͏aos, C͏͏ha͏ndler lande͏d s͏͏͏ever͏a͏l ͏shot͏s t͏͏͏o O͏l͏iv͏eira͏͏͏’s ͏͏h͏͏ead ͏tha͏t ͏app͏e͏ared͏ to b͏͏e i͏͏ll͏e͏͏gal, “Back of Oliveira’s head must be swollen too.” Furthermore, another fan doubled down on the same thing, “Let’s see how swollen the back of Oliveira’s head is” 

Michael Chandler was paid approximately $1,421,000 for his fight at UFC 309. Despite this being fair compensation for a losing fighter, a fan believes that fighters should be paid more for the amount of damage they take, “Bruh yall don’t be getting paid enough to take all this damage.” Last but not least, a fan was worried that Chandler might feel the effects of fan-friendly style at a later stage of his life, “He’s gonna feel that when he’s 50.”

What are your thoughts on Michael Chandler’s injury? Do you think we’ll see him compete in the Octagon soon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.