“Never out of the fight” - Michael Chandler perorates as UFC president Dana White praises him for being a tough fight

UFC 314 was a disappointing loss for Michael Chandler, which landed the fighter 1-4 in his last five bouts. The fight against Paddy Pimblett was a much-needed redemption for the Iron to maintain the legitimacy for a potential title run in the future. While MMA veterans like Michael Bisping and Henry Cejudo believed that it was the end of the line for the fighter, Chandler defied the retirement rumors and took to the social media platform X, sharing an emotional post that indicated that the fighter is still within the combat sports scenario. The post starts with a line that is somewhat similar to how the UFC president, Dana White, praised the fighter in an interview with MMA Junkie.
On April 14, 2025, the fighter reshared a photo on X, previously posted by his wife, Brie Chandler, on her Instagram. The picture showed the hands of Michael Chandler holding the hand of his son. Chandler and his wife adopted two sons, Hap and Ace. The couple recently adopted a daughter, whom they named Dru, born just two weeks before Chandler’s bout at UFC 314. Brie posted another picture of the fighter on her Instagram, playing with their daughter post-fight.

In the post on X, Chandler got emotional about the outcome of the bout, but decided to remain strong. He wrote, “Never out of the fight. This picture sums it all up. As long as I’ve got these heartbeats and hands to hold, I’ve already won.”

Chandler is now seen spending more time with his family, and it will probably be a while before the fighter makes his next move within the Octagon. UFC president Dana White, in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, praised the fighter despite his back-to-back losses.
“I mean, he’s always in the fight. Tonight was a big night for Paddy Pimblett. Like we were just talking about, people have been doubting Paddy Pimblett every single fight he fights, and he’s undefeated in the UFC.” Dana continued, “But Chandler is like our Arturo Gatti, man. Every time that guy goes in, you know you’re in for a good fight, you know it’s going to be a war, and you don’t know whether he’s going to win or lose.”
Also read: Patricio Pitbull teases his next bout at the International Fight Week after a debut debacle at UFC 314
Chandler was knocked out by Paddy Pimblett in the third round of the bout. The fighter has not secured a win since his last win against Tony Ferguson in UFC 274. The post on X was the first ever interaction by Chandler on social media since his loss at UFC 314.