IamA Bellator MMA Lightweight Michael Chandler, AMA!

Michael! Welcome to reddit. If you had to compare your fighting style to any animal, what would it be?

Probably a shark. I swear I can smell blood, and I always go in for the kill. Plus, a shark never moves backwards....

I ask this of all fighters on reddit, and this is by far my favorite answer. Thanks!

And it's true!!!!

Guys, thanks for this! Need to get back to cutting some weight and getting ready for Saturday. Thanks for taking the time to ask questions, and hope you watch on Saturday!

Good luck with the fight. Two questions. How do you feel about War Machine? and Who is your favorite fighter ever?

I think War Machine is standup, awesome guy........ ;)

To be honest, I'm not really a huge fight fan. This sport has some incredible athletes, but I didn't really grow up as a fight fan and got into this sport to continue competing, so hard to answer that one.

Has Dominick Cruz influenced your footwork at all? In the last Alvarez fight you looked really quick and light on your feet!

Absolutely. Just opened my eyes to some new techniques and angles, Dominick is probably THE best when it comes to footwork in MMA, but it's totally his own style. Ridiculous fighter.

I am a huge fan of you. Mainly started out watching your wrestling. I am an average wrestler from New Jersey (25-10) completing my senior year in high school. Is there any advice you could give me to aid me in my desire to get.good enough for two years of d1-d2 wrestling after two years community college wrestling? I have only been wrestling for four years, but I love it and want to be the best!! HUGE FAN!

Again, thanks for the support.

Literally, anything can be accomplished with hard work and dedication. I don't have any secrets to give. You just need to put in the work and the time, and it will pay off. Best of luck Gunthor!

What is the worst injury you have sustained during a fight, but still fought through it?

During the first Alvarez fight, my right foot was killing me after the third round. Wasn't a long term injury, but it was brutal.

Hey Michael, any favorite snacks before a match?

Actually right now munching on some fruit, but before the fight usually a simple sandwich and a Cliff bar(Chocolate Chip for sure).

But what kind of sandwich? Mustard, mayo? The world has to know!

I go back to my roots and keep it simple. PB&J!!!!!!!

Hey Michael! What is your mindset like today?

Can't wait to see you fight on Friday!

Today is a really relaxed fight. I'm always pretty relaxed going into fights, you know it's coming for long enough, I've never been one to get over-hyped on anything.

And thanks for watching, but make sure you watch on Saturday, not Friday! :)

Do you ever plan on joining or fighting in the UFC? Oh, and who do you think will win the fight between King Mo and Rampage?

I get that question a lot, and as I've said before, I'm happy with where I'm at. I've always said I want to strive to be the best fighter I can be, and fight the best in the world to continue to grow and develop into the best. I'm continuing to do that, and look forward to see what's next. First order of business is taking care of Brooks on Saturday.

In terms of Rampage vs Mo, I think it's a toss up. It's going to come down to who had the better camp.

Hey Michael! For an amateur competitor always looking for new viewpoints on training, do you have a certain mindset when you're going in for your daily training? Is there something routine you do before you go in?

These days, health is very important. Stretching, rolling, and really making sure I'm warmed up and go into training with a positive attitude. I've got great coaches around me at Alliance, so it's about taking care of yourself before you go in, and having trust in the training.

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Thank you very much for the support, I appreciate it!

My biggest motivation is that I've been given a great opportunity to do something great on this earth, so why wouldn't I work as hard as I possibly can to obtain greatness.

Whats your favourite thing to eat after a win?

Pizza, obviously. And chug some Monster Energy so I can stay up with my friends and family to celebrate a win!

Have you made any adjustments in your training since you found out that you will be facing Will Brooks instead of Alvarez? Best of luck for the fight!

Not really, I had a great training camp that has prepared me for anyone in the world. Will is a tough guy, but I'm ready.

Do you believe that 1 dominant style can take you through a successful title run and eventually a champion or does modern day MMA mean you must be multi dimensional in terms of styles?

This is coming from a wrestler, but I think wrestling is obviously the most dominate style. Look at a guy like Ben Askren, who has some of the best wrestling in the game and became a Champion. You need to mix it up and I always want to improve as a fighter, but I'm so thankful that wrestling is my base. Everything comes off my wrestling.

Hey Michael, Big fan of your fighting style. What are some of the things that go through your mind before you walk into the cage also how easy is it to hear coaches or trainers during the fight? Good luck on your next fight!

As I'm walking out, I just keep thinking "I've trained hard for this, I'm prepared, and I deserve to be the best."

In terms of coaches, it's easy to hear if you are listening. I always have one ear open for those guys as Alliance and my head coach Eric Del Fierro knows his stuff!

what are the odds of losing teeth in a fight?

It happens, but my mouth guard is awesome, my mouth guard is basically unbreakable! (Shout out to Unbreakable Mouth Guards).

What's your favorite breakfast burrito in san diego?

Not a huge breakfast burrito guy, but San Diego has some great sports. The Southpark Abby is a personal favorite, the Station Tavern is always a good time as well. And I can't not mention my local Chipotle, I could live off of Chipotle.

Which wild animal do you think you could kill with your bare hands?

Probably a flea....:)

What's your technique for cutting weight before a weigh-in?

Lots of water, no sodium for about 2-3 days out, and keeping up that cardio.

How much do you normally weight when you step into the cage on fight night?

Good question. Everyone is different, but I will usually walk into the cage at about 175. I like to stay lean and not lose any of my quickness, so I don't want to bulk up too much when I'm in the cage.

How hard was it to walk on to a very good Missouri team in college?

Good question. It was very hard, and there was a lot of days with me on my back getting my butt handed to me for a few hours every day. But eventually the hardwork and sacrifice paid off, and I became an All-American.

Muhammad Ali, when he was banned from boxing, fought against a karate champion, who spent most of the match on his back, threatening Ali with his heels. How would an MMA champion do against, for example, Ali in his prime, fighting under MMA rules?

An MMA fighter would win 9 times out of 10. A boxer wouldn't be able to defend a takedown. I'm a huge boxing fan, but if you are fighting MMA, the boxer wouldn't be able to defend a takedown, and it probably wouldn't end very well for them.