At Bellator 58 last November, Michael Chandler defeated Eddie Alvarez in a superlative performance to claim the Bellator lightweight championship. Chandler will return to action for the first time since that spectacular upset win over Alvarez this May at Bellator 67, where he’ll take on seasoned veteran Akihiro Gono.
Undefeated as a professional, Chandler (9-0) capped off a winning run in Bellator’s fourth season lightweight tournament by submitting Alvarez in the fourth round of a rollicking fight to capture the promotion’s championship belt. The 25-year-old Xtreme Couture product is looking forward to keeping active as the season six lightweight tournament plays out to determine his first proper challenger,.
“I’m just excited to get back into the cage,” said Chandler. “I fought four times in 2011 and I’m ready to get back to work. Gono has beaten some of the best fighters in the sport and this should be a good test for me.”
A veteran of both PRIDE FC and the UFC, Akihiro Gono (32-17-7) will be stepping in to face Chandler on the heels of a two-fight losing streak. One of the sport’s more colorful personalities, Gono has faced off against a who’s-who of MMA, with notable wins over Hector Lombard and Gegard Mousasi on his extensive resume.
The fight is scheduled as a three round non-title bout.
Bellator 67 is slated to take place on Friday, May 4 from the Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario, Canada.
