Photos: Michael Chandler shares snaps of his son Hap Whitaker with WWE greats Bobby Lashley, Rey Mysterio and others from SummerSlam 2022

UFC lightweight Michael Chandler shared heartwarming photos of his son Hap Whitaker alongside some of the greatest WWE superstars in attendance at SummerSlam 2022 at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Chandler took to Instagram to upload Stories of Hap alongside United States champion Bobby Lashley and the legendary Rey Mysterio. Hap Whitaker was also seen donning a Mysterio mask while watching the pay-per-view with his father.

The former Bellator lightweight champion was a decorated wrestler in high school and also represented the University of Missouri's wrestling team. The 35-year-old is a huge fan of pro wrestling. He even paid tribute to Hall of Famer Ric Flair by cutting a 'Nature Boy'-style promo following his win at UFC 257 against Dan Hooker.

Chandler even received a call from the pro-wrestling great congratulating him on the victory. 'Iron' has said his favorite wrestlers in WWE were Ric Flair, Diamond Dallas Page, Steve Austin and The Rock.

Watch Michael Chandler cut a Ric Flair-style promo below:

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Michael Chandler and his origin as a wrestler

Long before he moved to MMA, Chandler was introduced to wrestling at the age of five. Speaking about his first match in high school, Chandler said in an interview with SB Nation:

"When I was five years old, my dad got me into wrestling. I don’t know, it was hard on me. I think wrestling is such a hard sport for young-young children. My first match in high school was on a varsity and I went out there and I won. It kind of gave me that confidence."

Now one of the best lightweights in the UFC with an MMA record of 23-7, Chandler wants to make his mark inside the octagon after a stunning win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 274.

Michael Chandler has been vocal in recent times about a potential fight with Conor McGregor, who aims to return later this year or early next year. 'Iron' is 2-2 under the UFC umbrella, beating Dan Hooker and Ferguson and losing to Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje. A win over McGregor, who is the biggest star in the sport, would certainly be one of the highlights of Chandler's entire MMA career.