During a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, UFC lightweight star Michael Chandler discussed his Octagon debut.
Back at UFC 257 in January 2021, the three-time Bellator Lightweight Champion made his first appearance for the world’s premier MMA promotion. Opposite ‘Iron’ was Dan Hooker, who ultimately came unstuck midway through the first round when Chandler rocked him with a series of punches.
Shortly after TKO’ing ‘The Hangman’, an overjoyed Chandler raised plentiful eyebrows with a reckless backflip off the top of the cage in celebration. He followed it with a professional wrestling-style promo during his post-fight interview.
The display was reminiscent of fellow lightweight powerhouse and UFC 268 opponent Justin Gaethje, who is notorious for pulling the stunt post-fight as well.
Needless to say, UFC President Dana White was not thrilled with the potentially injury-causing flip.
“Kind Of Bad-Ass Though, Huh?” - Michael Chandler
Shortly after the fight with Hooker, ‘Iron’ returned to the back where he overhead White ripping on him for his backflip. White highlighted the recklessness of such a stunt shortly after finally getting a shot in the UFC.
“I remember Dana, Dana got on there, and I was actually right in the room when he said it, ‘How about this effing guy, he finally gets his shot in the UFC, knocks the guy out, he wants to jump off the cage and do a backflip like he wants- like both of his ankles and knees were gonna blow out,’” Chandler said.
Despite his annoyance with Chandler over the backflip, White ultimately did acknowledge that it made for a “bad-ass” spectacle.
“And he walked off the stage and he walked to me and I was like ‘Hey Dana, sorry about the backflip, it’s kind of bad-ass though huh?’ He’s like 'Yeah, it was,” Chandler laughed.
DANA WILL BE EVEN MORE UPSET ONCE HE KO’S CONOR AND HITS THE BACK FLIP AGAIN