Michael Chandler shares wholesome moment with son after UFC 314 loss with uplifting message: "We're always gonna keep our head up"

Fans were worried for Michael Chandler after the American fighter was rushed backstage following a brutal TKO loss to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314. Pimblett sliced Chandler open with a clean knee and finished him with ground and pound to seal his spot in the lightweight top 10.

Chandler recently shared a touching video of a moment with his son Hap, who was in attendance at UFC 314. In the footage, Chandler walks his son through a message of hard work and resilience, saying:

“Okay, listen. We’re going to work extremely hard, we’re going to try and do the best that we can. Sometimes, we’re going to fall short. Gonna come up short but we’re always going to keep our head up. Even if you get some cuts on your face. I love you, cheers.”

He posted the video on Instagram and captioned the post:

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"MOMENTS. A Nutella cheers. This was the first time Hap saw me lose a fight in person. He was full of emotions back stage, and rightfully so. He was thrown into the pit of a valley he didn’t see coming. The blood and swelling only exacerbated the fears of how daddy was doing as he held my hand as I got stitched up. But in the midst of the chaos and pain was a perfect time to show him how a man responds. Don’t tell them, show them. Bested but never beaten. Walk On. See you at the top!"

Check out Michael Chandler's Instagram post below:

Michael Chandler shuts down retirement rumors

Michael Chandler isn’t done with fighting just yet after his third straight loss. Reports swirled about a possible retirement conversation with UFC's Chief Business Officer, Hunter Campbell, after his TKO loss to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314. But Chandler quickly denied it, stating that no such talk had happened yet.

Chandler has dropped five of his last seven UFC outings, in entertaining fights against the likes of Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier. Despite the skid, Chandler made it clear he’s not done with the sport.

Reacting to the rumors on X, he wrote:

"Fake news…Hunter and I will talk…but haven’t yet... I will eventually [retire]…but not now. And thank you for the kind words…I’m living my dream, even in the painful moments."

Check out Michael Chandler's X posts below:

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About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar