Bellator 157 was a bit of a slog for a while there. Sure, there were some fireworks in Matt Mitrione's debut opposite Carl Seumanutafa, but the middle of the card was ho-hum at best.
Enter Michael Chandler. The former champion had a chip on his shoulder and a lot to prove in his fight for the vacant Bellator lightweight title opposite Patricky Freire and, boy, did that result in a great performance.
After some pensive pawing and feints, Chandler exploded into a massive right hand that drew a rare one-punch knockout. Check out the video here:
DAMN! Michael Chandler 1st round KO new champ #DYNAMITE2 https://t.co/nXcZkKSni3
— MMA GIFS (@mma_gifs_) June 25, 2016
Savage stuff.
Chandler now assumes the role of lightweight champion following the departure of Will Brooks, who was released and promptly signed by the UFC. While Brooks' departure hurts the division's credibility, there are still numerous interesting matchups for the new champ in former UFC champion Benson Henderson and former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson. The Bellator lightweight division remains fairly deep, and if Chandler can hold onto the belt for any length of time, he can restore the title's credibility.
