Michael Chandler shows off ripped physique, Oleksandr Usyk handed medical suspension, UFC star praises Jake Paul: MMA News Roundup

Michael Chandler shows off his physique ahead of UFC 303 bout against Conor McGregor, Oleksandr Usyk handed medical suspension and Jake Paul is praised by a UFC star.

Find out more details in today's (May 22) Sportskeeda daily news roundup.

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#3 Michael Chandler shows off ripped physique ahead of UFC 303 bout against Conor McGregor

Michael Chandler appears to have not been taking his time off from the octagon lightly as a recent social media post suggests he could be in the best shape of his career.

Chandler and McGregor are set to headline UFC 303 on June 29 to round off the UFC's iconic International Fight Week. The bout marks the highly anticipated return for 'The Notorious', who has been away from the octagon for nearly three years after suffering a leg break against Dustin Poirier in 2021.

Whilst 'Iron' has also spent a significant period of time away from fighting in order to secure the bout against McGregor, it appears as though he's been putting in the hard work behind the scenes.

In a recent post by Bellator MMA, Chandler's former promotion, the 38-year-old was pictured alongside fellow fighter Paul Hughes looking in incredible shape.

Check out the post here:

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#2 Oleksandr Usyk handed medical suspension following win over Tyson Fury

Following his grueling victory over Tyson Fury at the 'Ring of Fire' boxing event, Oleksandr Usyk will be recovering on the sidelines for a while after being handed a short medical suspension.

The Ukrainian became the first heavyweight since Lennox Lewis in 1999 to achieve undisputed status in the division when he handed 'The Gypsy King' the first loss of his professional career.

Usyk clinched the victory via split-decision but almost found a finish in the ninth round when he had Fury hurt and bouncing off the ropes.

Following the fight, Usyk had initially passed a post-fight check-up, however, the Mirror has now reported he has been handed a medical suspension until June 2nd due to undisclosed injuries.

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#1 Belal Muhammad explains why he respects Jake Paul

Belal Muhammad recently opened up about his feelings towards Jake Paul and outlined why he respects him over other fighting personalities such as Dillon Danis.

Paul has made waves in both the boxing and MMA scene in recent years, following his signing with the Professional Fighter's League (PFL) in 2023. Whilst he has yet to compete in an MMA bout, his bouts against Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz as well as his upcoming clash against Mike Tyson have caught the public eye and divided opinion.

Speaking in a recent appearance on the Money Loyalty Legacy podcast, 'Remember the Name' explained the difference he sees between Paul and Dannis and highlighted why he respects him. The UFC welterweight said:

"I respect him [Paul] more because now he's starting to fight real boxers...I mean, you're never gonna please everybody, but guys like Dillon Danis, they're just like, that's what's wrong with society, right? That's what's wrong with the world. Like, martial artists that just want to troll. He will sit there and comment the dumbest stuff to try and get attention out of you." [21:33 - 22:11]

Catch Muhammad's comments here (21:30):