Sans Bellator Belt, Michael Chandler Believes He's Still One of the World's Best

Following an undefeated streak that lasted his first 12 fights, including a Bellator lightweight title reign, Michael Chandler hasn’t picked up a win in nearly two years.

While two of Chandler’s losses were split-decisions that could have gone his way, in his most recent bout this past November, he was finished for the first time in his career by Will Brooks at Bellator 131.

Still, throughout it all, Chandler refuses to get down on himself. In fact, he feels just as good as ever and is excited to have his first fight of 2015.

“I’m just constantly trying to stay positive,” Chandler told MMAWeekly.com. “In this sport there is going to be ups and downs, wins and losses, and they can happen sporadically or all at once. I feel I’m the best I’ve ever been, confident as I’ve ever been, and I still have a smile on my face.”

Rather than make wholesale changes in the wake of his losing streak, Chandler has added some new coaching and made some small tweaks to his game, but by no means is going away from who he is as a fighter.

“I think you do always have to realize that if you stay the course that eventually good things are going to happen, but I have made a few changes,” he said. “I’ve gotten back to my roots and what’s going to make me the best fighter I can be and what’s going to put me in the best possible situation to win.”

Chandler (12-3) will look to rebound on June 19 in St. Louis, when he takes on former King of the Cage champion Derek Campos (15-4) in a feature bout at Bellator 138.

“He’s just a tough guy, a tough competitor, so I’m excited to compete against him,” Chandler said of Campos. “I’ve trained just as hard for this fight and I’m just as focused for any of my fights – including title fights – that I’ve ever been.

“There are definitely some aspects of his game that I feel I can exploit. I’ve got a great game plan going into this fight and what’s going to put me in the best situation possible to win.”

Even after his recent rough patch, Chandler knows he still has a target on his back, so he continues to pursue the sport with as much vigor as always.

“One of the great things and also unfortunate things about being ranked in the top of the lightweight division for so long, people are going to expect the most of you and that the pressure is on you,” he said. “But if you’re not putting pressure on yourself or working hard every single day to get the best of yourself, why are you even in this sport?

“I pursue this passion with my best foot forward and whether I’m on a ten-fight win streak or three-fight losing streak, I’m still a very dangerous guy and I look at myself like I’m one of the best lightweights in the world.”