Bellator 58: Michael Chandler Focused and Ready for Eddie Alvarez

When fighting in a Bellator tournament, competitors must win three times in three months to be propelled. If a fighter can successfully do so, he must then face whoever the champion is at that time.

The layoff is usually around six months, and that is just the case once again. 

Fighters like to stay active and be busy. For Michael Chandler, though, the layoff was nice and he didn't mind it at all.

The undefeated Chandler (8-0 MMA, 5-0 BFC) faces Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez (22-2 MMA, 6-0 BFC) at Bellator 58 tonight at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

The main card airs on MTV2 (and in high definition on EPIX), and the preliminary fights stream live on Spike.com.

"It wasn't really anything out of the ordinary for me to fight that quick," Chandler told me. "With my wrestling background, I'm used to that constant grind of the wrestling season. 40-50 matches a season, two-a-days for nine months straight.

"My body is durable, my body is able to withstand a lot of practices, a lot of punishment. So it really wasn't big for me to go three fights in three months. Obviously, I wasn't necessarily 100 percent. I was banged up in a few areas. You're never 100 percent going into a fight.

"It was definitely nice to have this little six-month layoff, if you will. I've been in the gym pretty much most of the time and just getting better. Sharpening my skills and just trying to get better."

Chandler has only been in MMA a little over two years. He was a standout wrestler at the University of Missouri. Chandler misses wrestling for the Tigers, but he is ready to see the fruits of his labor in MMA.

"I was just thinking about it lately. When you're wrestling, it's such an amazing sport. I love it. I loved that I came from that background. There's still times I wish I could throw on the black and gold singlet and go out there in the Hearnes Center and wrestle for the Missouri Tigers.

"I miss that and I miss the stuff about college wrestling. It's definitely a sport where you get no recognition. You're not football, you're not basketball, you're not baseball, you're not national title, not bringing a tons of revenue to your school, not having 60-70,000 people come to matches or games.

"So it is definitely not a sport where you get used to not really seeing a lot of love, not really a lot of respect or recognition, not a lot of reporters trying to get interviews. There's really not a lot of glory besides that personal satisfaction of going out there, competing and winning.

"So now, it is definitely a little bit different. Now, MMA has exploded and it's so big. I plan on becoming a household name after this fight, beating Eddie, becoming Bellator world champ and really becoming a threat in the lightweight division that people are going to talk about."

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney stated awhile back that Alvarez would be getting his rematch with top-ranked lightweight Shinya Aoki at the begining of 2012, but Chandler remains focused. He feels if he beats Alvarez, maybe he should fight Aoki.

"I honestly really don't care. It's one of those things that's out of my control. I can't expect people not to want to see the rematch between Aoki and Alvarez. Aoki is one of only two people to ever beat Eddie.

"So I can't expect people to be talking about that and wanting that fight to happen. Because Aoki is unsigned and he's a guy that's not signed by Zuffa. He is eligible to fight Eddie.

"But I can't really worry about it. I can't expect people not to want to see that fight happen and to kind of talk about that stuff. So whatever happens, happens. I know I'm going to get that opportunity. Who knows really what's going to happen?

"But all I can do is focus on this fight in front of me and hopefully Eddie is, too. Because I shouldn't be a guy that should ever be looked past."

A lot of people in the MMA world still really do not know much about Michael Chandler. He plans on changing that tune and beating one of the top lightweights in the world. Chandler hopes Alvarez is ready for the challenge.

"I think the good thing about fighting Eddie is I really don't think he's fought a guy who can match his intensity, who can match his pace, match what he brings to the table.

"That's a high-pace fight, that's an intense fight and that's an in-your-face fight. That's really what I'm bringing to the table. I'm going there bell to bell. You're going to see me moving forward. I'm going to put the pressure on him. I'm really gonna have him make the decision, whether he's going to win this fight or not.

"I'm not gonna be taking any steps back. I'm always gonna be looking to put gloves on him, knees and elbows, picking him up and slamming him.

"Wherever the fight goes, I'm looking to dominate every single position, and that's something I don't think a lot of people did.

"Pat Curran didn't take one step forward. Roger Huerta threw a lot of hay-makers and that kind of stuff. He fights hard, but he really wasn't very crisp with his striking.

"My hands have gotten a ton better in the last six to seven months. My wrestling's always better than most people's. My ground game is getting a lot better with Neil Melanson. I'm getting dominant position and looking to finish the fight.

"So that's going to be the theme of the fight—get in his face, make him decide whether he can hang and whether he can win this fight or not."

You can listen to the entire Michael Chandler interview here.

You can follow me on Twitter @fightclubchi.