Following his fight against Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314, Michael Chandler initially left the octagon before the official decision was announced. However, he has now broken his silence, releasing a brief statement on social media this Monday.
The former UFC title challenger suffered a third-round TKO loss after Pimblett took him to the ground and landed a series of strikes, leading to the referee`s stoppage. This defeat marks Chandler`s third consecutive loss and his second in five UFC appearances.
While Chandler`s statement didn`t directly address Pimblett or the specifics of the fight, he emphasized the importance of things beyond his UFC career.
“Never out of the fight,” Chandler posted on Twitter. “This picture sums it all up. As long as I’ve got these heartbeats and hands to hold, I’ve already won.”
The photo accompanying Chandler`s message, shared by his wife Brie, showed him holding hands with his son, who was present at the event on Saturday night. Chandler also returned home to spend time with his newborn daughter, who was born shortly before his fight with Pimblett at UFC 314.
As a father of three, Chandler highlighted that his family remains his top priority, which is his primary takeaway from a challenging night in the UFC.
Regarding his future in the sport, Chandler has not yet indicated his next steps after this setback against Pimblett.
Despite the loss, UFC CEO Dana White praised Chandler for his resilience and his commitment to delivering exciting fights, comparing him to Arturo Gatti, the legendary boxer known for his thrilling, all-action bouts.
