UFC Fans Give Michael Chandler His Flowers After Brutal Loss to Paddy Pimblett for Always Answering the Call to War

In a sport where wins and losses often define a fighter’s legacy, there’s still something to be said about those who show up, throw down, and leave it all in the cage—every single time. And few embody that spirit quite like Michael Chandler. Five bonuses adding up to $250000, countless Fight of the Night-worthy moments, and a resume stacked with chaos.

His latest outing at UFC 314, a tough loss to Paddy Pimblett, might’ve added another “L” to the record—but it has seemingly earned him respect from the fans. 

Chandler signed to the UFC pretty late in his fighting career after spending his prime years in Bellator, where he held the lightweight title on multiple occasions. His mantra was simple after joining the UFC – he was here for a good time and not a long time. 

In his 2-5 UFC career so far, Chandler has taken the fight to former champions like Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, and Justin Gaethje. And even though he has ended up on the losing side, he was always moments away from a career-changing win, and only the sentimentally miopic may claim otherwise. Thankfully, these fans on Reddit aren’t.

“Win or Lose, the fanbase at that time (Pride FC) had the utmost respect for these warriors. Chandler came into UFC a battle-torn veteran. The man’s 38 in a lighter division and has been in some absolute wars to entertain us“, a Redditor noted.

“The least we can do to give back is respect”, they added on an emotional note. 

Others joined in agreement- “Win, draw or lose, I will always tune in to a Michael Chandler fight”- a common thread between all Chandler fans. 

Another, however, disagreed, citing Chandler’s habit of resorting to illegal methods during his fights and said, “Chandler is entertaining but a dirty fighter so I just can’t root for him.”

“He’s not my favorite fighter, but his fights are always my favorite,” commented another Redditor, reiterating the common sentiment as calls for Chandler to retire become louder. 

Another fan, sensing the potential end soon, commented, “Chandler will be missed, always lives up to his word and makes it exciting!”

Despite the loss, Chandler remained positive in his outlook and felt he had already won in life. 

Chandler breaks his silence after a brutal beatdown 

Notably, the former Bellator champion didn’t stick around for Bruce Buffer’s announcement after his UFC 314 loss to Pimblett—he quietly left the Octagon but broke his silence with a heartfelt post on Monday.

The third-round TKO marked his third straight loss, meaning his hope of seeing fans at the top remains unlikely to be fulfilled. Currently ranked in the bottom half of the top 10 lightweights, Chandler’s number is expected to dip further and with it, his hopes of fighting for the title. 

Unless, of course, he manages a miraculous recovery of form at 38.

In the meantime, the American fighter is happy to be with his family, resting, recovering, and knowing that his world will be alright.

“Never out of the fight,” he wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of him holding his son’s hand. “As long as I’ve got these heartbeats and hands to hold, I’ve already won.”

Back home, Chandler reunited with his newborn daughter, clearly leaning on family after a tough night. UFC CEO Dana White also showed love, comparing Chandler to Arturo Gatti—always down to scrap, always giving fans everything he’s got.