Michael Chandler was looking to defend his lightweight title in the main event of Bellator 221 against featherweight champion, Patricio Freire.
However, it did not go his way as Freire dropped Chandler and ground and pounded him until the ref stepped in to stop the fight 61 seconds into the first round. That was it. That quick, and it was all over for Chandler.
But, the former champion doesn’t agree with the stoppage and wants to rematch “Pitbull” very soon.
“I’m the fighter,” Chandler told MMA Junkie after the loss. “The promoters will promote. I think you’re going to see an overwhelming majority of people that are going to want to see a rematch. I think Bellator’s probably going to want to see a rematch. Of course, I want the rematch.
“Whether you’re in the camp that thinks it was an early stoppage or not, I’m not going to sit up here and rant and rave about all of that. You could’ve had 10,000 different refs in there and had it go 10,000 different ways or on the other side. … Patricio ‘Pitbull’ will step back in the cage with me, it’s just a matter of when.”
If he gets a rematch is unknown at this point. But, know for sure, Chandler knows he was never knocked out and believes the ref stepped in too early.
“Did I get hit? Yeah. Was I out? Absolutely not,” Chandler said.
