UFC Freedom 250 is now just a few hours away, and Michael Chandler is all set to return to action against Mauricio Ruffy in what many expect to be one of the most exciting fights on the card. While Chandler has built a reputation for his all-action fighting style inside the Octagon, his life outside the cage has also drawn attention over the years, particularly his journey into fatherhood.

The former Bellator champion and his wife, Brie Willett, have openly shared their adoption story, making it one of the most talked-about aspects of Chandler’s personal life. So, how many children has the UFC lightweight star adopted?

All we need to know about Michael Chandler’s adopted kids   

The 40-year-old and his wife, Brie Willett, decided to adopt children instead of going the conception route. The couple welcomed their first baby, Hap Chandler, in 2017 before adopting their second son, Ace Chandler, in 2022.

The UFC lightweight contender had previously revealed how his wife had always wanted to adopt a baby. Her experiences working with inner-city children through mission trips and community outreach programs inspired the couple to go the route of adoption.

“For us, once we got through all the paperwork, and the background checks, and the criminal background checks, and the financial background checks, and the medical background checks and all the fingerprinting, once we finally got all that done, we got an email that said, ‘Congratulations, you’re now active,’ and then six minutes later, we got a phone call,” Chandler revealed.

But does he actually have a biological child of his own?  

Does Michael Chandler have biological children of his own? 

The couple welcomed a daughter last year through a surrogate mother and named her Dru Miller Chandler. 

“We are overwhelmed with gratitude to our sweet gestational carrier, Blair, who brought our daughter into this world. What a gift,” Michael Chandler’s wife wrote on Instagram. 

As a result, Chandler is now the father of three children: sons Hap and Ace, and daughter Dru.

Despite receiving praise for his family’s adoption journey, Chandler has also faced criticism over comments he made regarding race and parenting.

Michael Chandler addresses the controversy around adopting children 

He said, “I’m not raising black children, I’m raising children… Whether you are Black or you are white, no matter what race that you are, there are certain things about being a man and being a good man when it comes to character and integrity and safeguarding the helpless, and sticking up for those who need it.” 

However, this caused an uproar among people who claimed that being blind to color doesn’t actually solve discrimination. This prompted Chandler to respond to the controversy and clear the air. 

Chandler stood by his comment and spoke about it in an interview with Shawn Ryan. He retaliated to the backlash in The Pivot podcast, saying that one little phrase was clipped from his whole discussion. ‘Iron’ further explained that the soundbite could easily be taken out of context. ‘Iron’ has revealed in another podcast that his wife always wanted to adopt children.

“My wife has wanted to adopt an African-American boy since she was a teenager,” he said. “My wife has had that on her heart since she was a teenager.”

Chandler also narrated how she used to do inner-city mission work and would travel to Jamaica on mission trips with her father.

For ‘Iron’, being a person of good character is the most important thing, and that is what he teaches his children.

With his family supporting him at home, Michael Chandler can now turns his attention back to the Octagon, where a win over Mauricio Ruffy on one of the UFC’s biggest stages could provide another memorable moment for his children to look back on.