Mizzou Alum and MMA Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler to Defend Title Tonight
1/17/2013 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Jan. 17, 2013
COLUMBIA, Mo. - After becoming a World Champion in 2011, former Mizzou All-American Michael Chandler will take to the cage tonight as he tries to defend his Bellator Lightweight title. Chandler, the Bellator Season 4 Lightweight Tournament winner, faces off against Judo Olympian Rick Hawn, who won the Season 6 Tournament.
Chandler has had a very successful career thus far in mixed martial arts, posting a perfect 10-0 record with four wins coming via the TKO. He just moved from training with Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas to Alliance out of Southern California.
"The guys at Alliance, the coaches at Alliance, and just the team aspect at Alliance is so much like a college wrestling program and so much unlike anything I've ever been around in the mixed martial arts industry that I felt like it was the right move to make," Chandler told Fight Hub TV.
Chandler attended Mizzou from 2004-2009, where he posted a career record of 100-40. He was a four-time NCAA qualifier during his collegiate career, as well as earning fifth place All-American honors in 2009. Chandler was the runner-up in the 2008 and 2009 Big 12 Championships.
"Michael has been back a few times this year to train with our guys. He really enjoys being a part of a team and loves training with our guys," Head Coach Brian Smith said. You could see that he brought a lot of intensity to our squad, and also being back with us really recharged him."
The fight is scheduled to take place at 9 p.m. CT tonight on Spike TV. Following his bout, Chandler is expected to make his way to Columbia to be a part of the Mizzou Wrestling Alumni Weekend, where he will be in attendance for the squad's two duals versus North Dakota State and No. 12 Central Michigan. He, along with the rest of the program's alums, will be honored prior to Sunday's MAC Conference opener versus CMU.
For a video preview to the fight and a profile on the former Tiger, click on this video provided by Spike TV.
