On this day two years ago, Michael Chandler made his explosive UFC debut by knocking out Dan Hooker
On January 25, 2021, Michael Chandler finally made his long-awaited debut in the UFC. He took no time to get familiar with his new surroundings after scoring a fantastic first-round knockout of the always-dangerous Dan Hooker.
'The Hangman' was 3-1 in his last four fights heading into the bout at UFC 257, having beaten Paul Felder, Al Iaquinta, and James Vick while suffering a loss to Dustin Poirier prior to his fight against the former Bellator champion. Despite the devastating loss, the New Zealander put it behind him and won in his next outing.
The UFC recently uploaded a social media post celebrating Michael Chandler's two-year anniversary with the promotion by showcasing his explosive finish against Dan Hooker on this day in 2021.
#OnThisDay in 2021: @MikeChandlerMMA EXPLODED on the scene in his Octagon debut 🤯
Watch all of his fights back with @UFCFightPass now! https://t.co/mKy5m4vpd7
If you missed his electrifying debut, you can to go back and witness the entire 2-and-a-half-minute fight on the UFC Fight Pass, which showcases just how dangerous the NCAA Division I wrestler can be.
The win not only extended his streak to three straight, dating back to his time in Bellator—where he scored back-to-back knockouts against Benson Henderson and Sidney Outlaw—but it also earned the 36-year-old a shot at UFC gold.
Directly following the clash, Dan Hooker managed to etch out the victory against Nasrat Haqparast, but quickly saw himself slide back into an octagon slump with losses against Islam Makhachev and Arnold Allen. The City Kickboxing mainstay later got back to winning ways with a TKO over prospect Claudio Puelles.
Hooker is ready to kickstart a winning run inside the cage but will first have to bypass the lengthy Jalin Turner when the lightweights meet at UFC 285 on March 4.
Michael Chandler's career in the UFC thus far
Despite joining incredibly late into his MMA career, Michael Chandler has taken the UFC by storm, putting on nonstop fight-of-the-year contenders and delivering some of the most unforgettable moments the promotion has ever seen.
After beating Hooker, the heavy-handed wrestler suffered losses to both Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title and then Justin Gaethje in a three-round war. Though he didn't get his hands raised, he quickly became a fan-favorite inside the octagon.
After that, Chandler landed one of the most sickening knockouts against a man in Tony Ferguson who had previously never been knocked unconscious while competing in the sport. The 31-year-old veteran put on another all-time display in a losing effort against Dustin Poirier during his most recent UFC appearance.