Lightweight

Michael Chandler

Iron

23-11

Age
40
Height
5'8"
Reach
5'12"
Stance
Orthodox
Camp
Kill Cliff FC
Out of
USA
Style
striker
Fight IQ
C+ · 65
Finish rate
30%
Win rate
68%

Career methods

KO/TKO
4
Sub
7
Dec
12

FightMetric

SLpM

4.04

SApM

3.57

Str Acc

57%

Str Def

34%

TD Avg

1.96

TD Acc

41%

TD Def

58%

Sub Avg

0.56

Tape read

Pocket striker — suspect hips against the shot, porous pocket

Fight IQ

65C+

Thin sample — 2 loaded UFC rows, 34 career fights for Michael Chandler. Reaction and agility are wider intervals.

IQ

C+

Ground

D

Defense

D

Counter

D

Reaction

proxy

D

Agility

proxy

D

TD react

D

Chin

C+

What they do well

No standout plus-mark on this card.

Where they leak

  • Timing & reaction

    Late on the read. High absorb or a leaking TD defense suggests the first move often belongs to the opponent.

  • Striking defense

    Defensive liability. Opponents land at a clip that turns every exchange into a finish window.

  • Counter punching

    Limited counter threat. Opponents can miss without paying a finishing tax.

Scouting report

Michael Chandler “Iron” is a 40-year-old Orthodox lightweight out of USA, camped at Kill Cliff FC. The tape read: pocket striker — suspect hips against the shot, porous pocket. Career mark 23-11-0 — 4 by KO/TKO, 7 by submission, 12 by decision. Fight IQ grades C+ (65).

What works. Durability is the standout at 68 (C+). Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean. Ground game D on 1.96 TD/15 and 0.56 sub attempts. Striking defense D at 34% / 3.57 SApM. Counter punching D; punching agility D (output × accuracy × age curve). Takedown reaction D on 58% TD defense. These are tape proxies — not lab reaction times — built from FightMetric rates, finish shares, and 2 loaded UFC rows.

Where it breaks. Timing & reaction is the soft spot (28, D). Late on the read. High absorb or a leaking TD defense suggests the first move often belongs to the opponent. Opponents who take away their first look and make them solve a second problem have historically been the ones who make this résumé leak. Losses lean decision more often than a highlight — the issue is usually control of minutes, not a glass jaw.

Recent tape (2 bouts): L Ruffy (KO/TKO R1) · L Oliveira (Decision - Unanimous R5). Form index negative over the last 2. Most of the loaded finishes happen before the deep water.

Ground game

46 D

Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.

  • 1.96 takedowns / 15 at 41% accuracy
  • 0.56 submission attempts / 15 · 7 career sub wins

Striking defense

41 D

Defensive liability. Opponents land at a clip that turns every exchange into a finish window.

  • 34% striking defense · 3.57 SApM
  • 0 KO/TKO losses in 11 defeats

Counter punching

41 D

Limited counter threat. Opponents can miss without paying a finishing tax.

  • 57% accuracy on 4.04 SLpM
  • 0.00 knockdowns / 15 · 4 KO/TKO wins

Timing & reaction

28 D

Late on the read. High absorb or a leaking TD defense suggests the first move often belongs to the opponent.

  • Str def 34% · TD def 58% — the two read-and-react rates
  • 3.57 shots absorbed / min (lower = sees it earlier)

Punching agility

47 D

Heavy or economical. Combinations are chosen, not sprayed — opponents can time the entries.

  • 4.04 SLpM at 57% — output with cleanliness
  • Throws without paying full retail: 3.57 SApM

Takedown reaction

44 D

A takedown magnet. Low TD defense plus submission losses — this is the hole a grappler builds a camp around.

  • 58% takedown defense — the live reaction to level changes
  • 1 submission losses (once the fight hits the mat)

Durability

68 C+

Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean.

  • 0 times finished by strikes in 11 losses
  • 12 decision wins — proof they last and still score

Fight history

DateOpponentResMethodRndSig
Jun 15, 2026Mauricio RuffyLKO/TKO1 4:293/12
Nov 17, 2024Charles OliveiraLDecision - Unanimous5 5:0084/113