In case you needed another reason why Michael Chandler is awesome

[Onetrickpony]

Michael Chandler lost his title back in June, in a fight everyone expected him to win. Yet he didn’t sit around dwelling over Brent Primus leaving Manhattan with his Bellator lightweight belt, nor of getting an immediate rematch. He got back to the gym. He began contemplating marquee fights at welterweight with names like Paul Daleyand Rory MacDonald. He re-swore himself to exemplary violence in the cage, à la his former dance partner Eddie Alvarez over in the UFC. He signed a bout agreement to fight Goiti Yamauchi in January, a perfect opponent to showcase his personal vow.

And with each day he got a little closer to meeting a little guy down in Dallas, whom he didn’t know until October had been waiting for him. That little guy was Hap Whitaker, the baby that Chandler and his wife Brie adopted just before Halloween. It was a year-long process to become “active” in the adoption pool, yet just minutes after that activation he found himself getting blindsided in the best possible way.

Continued (go read the rest, it’s worth it)

How everything changed for Michael Chandler in just six minutes


Great story and I’ve got nothing but respect for this guy.

 

[CHiLLEN]

Great story.

I really liked the fact that they were willing to adopt, even when she's able to have kids herself. Really show's great character in both of them.

 

[kneeblock]

Sounds like his wife Brie is the really awesome one for wanting to adopt since she was a teenager and following through.

 

[Howard Moon]

Such a great thing to read on Xmas morning.

Thanks for sharing this, OTP, and a wonderful xmas to you and all the rest of Manitoba.

 

[jimmy boogaloo]

very irresponsible of the adoption agency to let a thug mma fighter adopt a child. he'll be using that kid as a heavy bag before new year!

 

[Onetrickpony]

Such a great thing to read on Xmas morning.

Thanks for sharing this, OTP, and a wonderful xmas to you and all the rest of Manitoba.

Thanks dude, merry Christmas to you and your family as well. But I’m not looking forward to getting back to Manitoba. Plus 30 here and -40 in Winnipeg. Better yet I wore shorts to the airport when we left since it was above zero. It’s going to be a bit uncomfortable getting everything loaded into the car and house.

It was a beautiful last morning though.

 

[Wild]

Great story. Michael and his wife seem like good people.

 

[soundoff71]

IMO, Bellator has two of the most admirable humans in MMA: Justin Wren & Michael Chandler. I wanna see more of the Big Pygymes & Michael "Family Guy" Chandlers. Bring on the real heroes of the sport: Wren, Stipe, Chandler, Thug Rose, Ortega (yeah, I know about the roid thing, but it seems like a one-time mistake), etc. The guys (& gals) who wanna do more than just push their 'brand' (yuck). Let the big-mouth circus brat era come to an end.

 

[ECC170]

that's beautiful! The irony is that baby looks just like a University of Missouri wrestling legend J'Den Cox...

 

[delightone]

Really love this story, best wishes to them.

 

[Jesus X]

 

[Hwoarang]

So what happens in situations like this; Does that baby now need to check his White Privilege?

 

[Jesus X]

So what happens in situations like this; Does that baby now need to check his White Privilege?

the baby is a black white supremacist.