Michael Chandler may have a close relationship with Ben Askren, fellow Bellator MMA, but he believes he will deliver better results than ‘Funky’ did as a member of the UFC rankings.
Chandler, who is making his Octagon debut against Dan Hooker at UFC 257 on ‘Fight Island’ this weekend, has a lot to prove since he signed with the promotion in September. The 34-year-old has been a member of the Bellator list since 2010 and has been calling the biggest names in the sport all his career. Chandler will have his chance to prove himself when he closes horns with Hooker as the one of the biggest cards of the year.
Unfortunately, Chandler seems to be waging an uphill battle. Apart from Eddie Alvarez, who won the UFC lightweight title in 2016, there have not been too many fighters to come off Bellator and they have achieved success under the bright lights of the Octagon.
The most recent example was Ben Askren. While Askren technically came over after competing under the ONE Championship banner, the welterweight fighter who previously fought in Bellator from 2010-2013 won and won five title fights during that period. Askren was supposed to take the UFC’s welterweight division by storm when he debuted in 2019, but eventually yielded a lack of 1-2 record, including his infamous knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal.
“Listen, I’m well aware of Ben’s fights in the UFC, his time in the UFC,” Chandler said during UFC 257 Media Day. ‘I’m well aware he’s barking more than he’s bitten in his UFC career, I think he’s going 1-2. But I can now guarantee that Ben Askren lay his head on his pillow at night and slept like a baby knowing he was coming to the UFC, he put his best foot forward, he fell short a few times. Askren eventually retired.
“It remains to be seen what the Michael Chandler story will be. I believe it’s going to be very different from Ben’s. It does not make me better or worse than him. He is a dear friend of mine, like a big brother to me. So we will see how the story is told. There are many people who compare me to Ben Askren, who is the Mizzou connection, the friendship we have. We’ll see. “
Fortunately for Chandler, he is a more well-rounded fighter than Askren. Chandler also happens to come out of the knockout blows under the Bellator banner and should give Hooker a chance for his money in his debut. But that’s easier said than done, as Hangman has set a 7-2 division record since the start of 2017.
UFC 257 will go live tomorrow night (Saturday, January 23, 2021) live on ESPN + PPV from inside the Etihad Arena on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 2 serving as the main event.
MMAmania.com delivers LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 257 fight card RIGHT HERE, start with the early ESPN + Prelims matches online, starting at 18:15 ET, and then the remaining balance of the undercard ESPN + and ESPN at 20:00 ET, before the PPV main card starts at 22:00 ET ESPN +.