UFC fighter Michael Chandler is a knockout outside of the ring.
The professional mixed martial artist, 35, competed against fellow lightweight fighter Charles Oliviera on Saturday, and though he ultimately lost the fight, he won the fashion battle leading up to the main event.
With the help of stylist Krista Roser, Chandler sported a slew of high-fashion looks in the days leading up to his fight, including an all-black Dolce & Gabbana look, a letterman-inspired jacket by Amiri and more than one pair of enviable sneakers, photographed by Joseph Benavidez.
When asked how dressing a UFC fighter is different than her other male clients, which include the men of Florida Georgia Line and country singer Ryan Hurd, Roser said simply, “Size and weight.”
She continued, “We have to worry about weight loss and gain from the time of the fitting to the event days as we had to fit a few weeks ahead and they have to shed or gain by a certain time. So we kept that in mind when doing any tailoring.”
The solution? Stretch fabrics, which allowed Chandler to move and be comfortable.
His first outfit was a “super special look” by Collini Milano, which featured an abstract graphic with hands all over.
“It was super symbolic to Michael as his whole world is with his hands,” Roser told Page Six Style. “It was really great to see the comments of the fans that all picked up on it and respected it as well. I’m learning that UFC fans really take notice to details and really are interested in every item he wears.”
In terms of inspiration, Roser isn’t looking to dramatically change the three-time Bellator champ’s image. “It’s very important to Michael and myself to stay true to who he is and keep all the looks we do together very authentic,” she said. “Everything about Michael is athletics. So keeping the looks sporty and not too buttoned up was key.”
However, Roser and Chandler did not want to emulate any other stylish athletes who have made a name for themselves on the red carpet or in pre-game coverage.
“I think confidence is one of the best intimidation tactics. And you can just see that he feels awesome in each look,” Roser said. “You can wear and pull off anything if you are confident in it!”
