SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Michael Chandler is still exploring the world of free agency after his Bellator contract expired earlier this year.

Chandler (18-4 MMA, 15-4 BMMA), a former two-time Bellator lightweight champion, has not signed any new contracts and is still in the thick of negotiations that will determine his future fighting home, he said. He called the process “exciting,” but also knows it’s an important business decision and said he has no intentions of taking an offer below his value.

“Business is business,” Chandler told MMAjunkie. “No. 1, I know my worth. No. 2, I know exactly what I’m fighting for. No. 3, I know exactly how good I am. I truly think I’m the best lightweight in the world, and I don’t think there’s anybody that can convince me otherwise. With that comes a lot of layered decision-making.”

Chandler, 32, is in the midst of his exclusive negotiating period with Bellator, a person with knowledge of the situation told MMAjunkie. He said the organization is making the necessary efforts to retain his services. Chandler has the second most fights in Bellator history (19), is tied for the most wins (15) and has earned the most stoppages (11) of any fighter in the company record books.

In the less than 10-year existence of Bellator, Chandler has made his mark as one of the faces of the promotion. He said he’s helped shape the image of what Bellator is, and, among other things, believes he should be compensated for his past and potentially future contributions.

If Bellator is unwilling or unable to do that, though, Chandler said he’s open to exploring other opportunities.

“At the end of the day, nothing is more important to me than my wife and my son and my legacy,” Chandler said. “I’ve always said that. Whoever was going to take better care of me, whoever is going to be there and taking care of me better was going to be who I was going to end up getting a deal done with. At this point, there are no deals done, and we will see what happens.

“It all goes back to knowing your worth, realizing that I have been in this organization longer than anybody. I do have the most wins in Bellator history. I have been in the hands-down the most exciting fights in Bellator history. Bellator would not be where they are without the fights that I’ve had, without being one of the faces of the promotion, being one of the guys who goes out there and literally never disappoints. … With that and with the damage that I’ve taken and with the value that I bring into each and every second stepping into the cage, whether with Bellator or another organization, I have to take that into account.”

The allure of an organization such as UFC is something Chandler can’t completely discount. Proving himself as the undisputed best fighter at 155 pounds is far more challenging under the Bellator banner, but Chandler said the perception of being No. 1 isn’t the most important aspect behind determining his situation.

Chandler, an honorable mention in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings, said there’s no one in his weight class he can’t beat, but ultimately his primary driving force through negotiations is money. He said he would gladly leave some “What-ifs?” on the table with regard to certain matchups if it meant extra padding in his pocket.

“I can’t go a day without hearing everybody talk about how I could beat Khabib (Nurmagomedov) and beat Conor (McGregor) and beat all these guys and be the No. 1 guy in the world in any organization,” Chandler said. “Of course you think about that, but at the end of the day, those people are going to forget about me the day I retire. I’ve got a solid six months after I retire and they’re all going to forget about me and it’s on to the next big thing. That’s what you have to realize in this sport: It’s so fleeting and it’s a, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ business.

“At the end of the day I’m a businessman, I’m a father and I’m a husband. It just so happens that I’m really good at going out there and beating people up in a cage. I have to weigh both scenarios and make the best decision possible, and I do expect to make boatloads of money.”

For now, though, Chandler said he’s sitting tight and waiting for a resolution to his contract status. He said he’s putting faith in his management team to get him the best deal that will tick off all the necessary boxes, and his career will proceed from there.

“I’ve got phenomenal management, phenomenal people around me, phenomenal relationship with Bellator,” Chandler said. “To be completely honest, even though there’s been ups and there’s been downs, we talked about some things and we weren’t quite sure if we were going to get a deal done or if we’re not going to get a deal done or we are. (Bellator President) Scott Coker, (matchmaker) Rich Chou – these guys at Bellator are the real deal. They’re great people, and we are getting things figured out, and we’re excited about what the future holds either way.”

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