Known for his explosive striking, Michael Chandler answers if he would ever do bare knuckle fighting

UFC lightweight Michael Chandler has dismissed the idea of competing in a bare-knuckle fight.

During a recent flight, Chandler took to X for an ‘Ask Me Anything session’ with MMA fans. One fan inquired whether he would ever consider stepping into bare-knuckle fighting, writing:

“Would you ever do bare knuckle?”

Chandler took notice of the post and quickly shut down the idea, responding:

“Nope.”

Check out Michael Chandler’s X post below:

Bare-knuckle fighting has gained significant popularity in recent times, with promotions like Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) attracting a growing fanbase. Conor McGregor's partial ownership in the promotion has further increased interest among MMA fans.

Chandler revealed in an interview that while he enjoys watching BKFC events and frequently purchases their pay-per-views, competing in a bare-knuckle fight is out of the question. He also noted that his wife would strongly oppose the idea and would never allow him to participate.

The former Bellator star is set to face Paddy Pimblett in the co-main event of UFC 314 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, on April 12. This is a crucial bout for him, as he has managed to secure just one victory in his last five fights, a knockout win against Tony Ferguson at UFC 274 in 2022.

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Chase Hooper shares his prediction for Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314

Speaking on Sportskeeda MMA, UFC lightweight Chase Hooper shared his prediction for the highly anticipated bout between Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314. Hooper backed Pimblett to get the job done, explaining that the UK fighter has a well-rounded game, saying:

"Honestly, I'm kinda torn between that one. I think Chandler should be able to win on the feet, but how little grappling he was doing against Oliveira, I feel like it showed how little he'd been focusing on it whereas Paddy's an excellent grappler. I just think the fight IQ is not there sometimes for Chandler, like, he fights more for the crowds than he does for winning the fight, which is why they keep him around."

He continued:

"I guess I'll give the edge to Paddy for overall well-roundedness... Chandler's so short he has to really work in there. I'll take Paddy on that one."

Check out Chase Hooper's comments below (8:23):