Michael Chandler KO’s Ben Henderson, calls out McGregor

Michael Chandler completed his contact with Bellator after knocking out former UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson in the first round.

Chandler exploded into free agency and his future is looking bright. We don’t know where Chandler will end up but he thanked the Bellator organization if he doesn’t return.

“If this is the last time I step in the Bellator cage, everyone in the house … you guys have no idea the impact you led on my life,” Chandler said during his post-fight interview. “I am not who I am without the organization of Bellator.”

Check out the knockout below.

Chandler wants to test free agency and if he ends up crossing paths with Conor McGregor he thinks he gets it done inside two rounds.

“The thing about Conor McGregor is I’ve always loved what he has done with the sport,” he told reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage after his victory. “I’ve never once hated on him. In the very beginning, I did say he’s not as good as he thinks he is, but he’s better than we think he is, and he continued to prove that.

I still don’t think he’s as good as he thinks he is, but that’s a testament to his self-belief. If all of us had a little bit more self-belief, like Conor McGregor, life would be a little bit different and we’d look at life through a different lens.”

“As far as that fight goes, I finish Conor in under two, in my opinion,” he stated. “It’d be similar to, shades of (Nate) Diaz I. Wear him down, hit him with hard shots – hard, hard shots.

Take every single one of his shots. He’s got that sneaky and strong and thick and hard left hand that he throws, and it’s straight. You avoid that, wear him down a little bit, make him see Jesus. Just put him out.”

Complete Bellator 243 results:

• Michael Chandler def. Benson Henderson via knockout (punch) — Round 1, 2:09
• Timothy Johnson def. Matt Mitrione via TKO (punches) — Round 1, 3:14
• Myles Jury def. Georgi Karakhanyan via split decision (27-30, 30-27, 29-28)
• Sabah Homasi def. Curtis Millender via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Adam Borics def. Mike Hamel via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Cris Lencioni def. A.J. Agazarm via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-28)
• Valerie Loureda def. Tara Graff via TKO (punches) — Round 2, 5:00
• Grant Neal def. Hamza Salim via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-24)
• Charlie Campbell def. Nainoa Dung via TKO (leg kicks) — Round 2, 1:42
• Dalton Rosta def. Mark Gardner via TKO (doctor stoppage) — Round 1, 5:00