Unbeaten Russian lightweight Nikita Kulishin reveals Michael Chandler avoids hard sparring

Nikita Kulishin, an unbeaten Russian lightweight who trains at Kill Cliff FC, has shed light on Michael Chandler's unusual training habits, claiming the veteran contender avoids full contact sparring entirely at the gym.

Kulishin, who carries a perfect 9-0 professional record and shares the mat daily with Chandler at the Florida-based facility, said the 40-year-old American sticks exclusively to light touch sparring and never participates in fully contested rounds. According to Kulishin, Chandler is notably protective of his personal space during training, frequently choosing to work alone while teammates engage in hard sparring sessions around him.

Michael Chandler, who fights out of an orthodox stance and stands five-foot-eight with a 71-inch reach, has compiled a 23-11 record across a decorated career that includes stints as Bellator lightweight champion and multiple high-profile UFC appearances. His in-cage style is anything but passive — he averages 4.04 significant strikes landed per minute at 49 percent accuracy, while also posing a consistent wrestling threat at nearly two takedown attempts per 15 minutes. That aggressive, physically imposing fight style has made his reported caution in the gym all the more striking.

Kulishin offered a potential explanation, suggesting that Chandler's ferocious cage performances may be driven more by psychological motivation than by what happens in practice.

Why it matters

• The claim raises questions about how Chandler, at 40, manages his preparation and body ahead of potential fights.
• If accurate, it offers a rare glimpse into how an experienced veteran at the tail end of a career calibrates training load.
• Kulishin's proximity to Chandler at Kill Cliff FC lends the account a degree of credibility, though it represents one teammate's perspective.