Former UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler continues to deal with severe aftermath from his recent unanimous decision loss to Charles Oliveira at Madison Square Garden. More than a week after their clash at UFC 309, Chandler revealed alarming footage of his significantly swollen leg.
In a video shared on social media, Chandler demonstrated the extent of his injury while in a sauna. “Look at this knee,” he said, pressing two fingers into his leg, leaving concerning indents that failed to disappear. “The swelling goes all the way down.”
The veteran athlete has already initiated an extensive recovery protocol, utilizing various therapeutic methods. “We’re hitting the red light bed, the HyperMax, the cold plunge, the contrast therapy, the sauna, the PEMF mat, we’re hitting the hyperbaric chamber, we are hitting everything because the road to recovery started on Monday,” Chandler explained.
Despite the setback, Chandler maintains an optimistic outlook for his future in the sport. “Got my MRIs and all that stuff set up, and getting the results back, we’ll see what kind of damage we took, but either way, we do not slow down. Either way, we continue to move forward.”
Looking ahead to 2025, Chandler remains focused on potential upcoming opportunities, including a previously postponed matchup from The Ultimate Fighter 31. “The future still looks bright. You’ve got other guys saying my name, other guys who are interested in the match, and you’ve got the fans reeled in because there is nobody else that will bring the type of passion, violence, speed, mixtures of emotions, the dichotomy of emotions all the way from one end of the spectrum all the way to the other,” he concluded.
