Michael Chandler is at a crossroads after his loss to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314.
The previous three-time Bellator lightweight champion’s profession as a top contender appears to be over after he was brutalized en path to a shock third-round knockout loss in Miami, Florida, on Saturday night.
Michael Chandler is riding a three-fight losing streak after falling to 2-5 contained in the UFC Octagon.
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping called his latest loss a ‘profession killer’ before former dual-weight champion Henry Cejudo went one step further by telling ‘Iron’ to contemplate walking away from MMA.
Michael Chandler advised to retire by Henry Cejudo
Cejudo can be riding a three-fight losing streak as he prepares to have one final UFC bout.
‘Triple C’ believes Chandler should join him in retirement following his devastating loss at UFC 314.
“I feel Chandler must have just yet another fight, man. I actually do,” Cejudo said on the Pound4Pound podcast he shares with former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. “I feel we must always retire together, perhaps on the identical card.
“If I’m Michael Chandler, yeah, I’d retire, bro. That’s too many beatings, dude.
“It’s not even taking L’s, he’s taking elbows to the face, he’s all the time cut and bloody.
“He’s gonna be beloved by people, but he’s lost all of his fights, and other people just forget.”
Michael Chandler’s UFC run…
In September 2021, Chandler obliterated Dan Hooker with left hook to win ‘the most effective UFC debuts ever’.
A light-weight title fight with Charles Oliveira followed. Chandler began extremely well and almost finished ‘Do Bronx in round one, but he ended up getting knocked out at the beginning of the second frame.
The UFC 314 star bounced back with a sensational front kick KO victory over Tony Ferguson in May 2022.
Since then, the 38-year-old has lost consecutive fights against Dustin Poirier, Oliveira, and Pimblett.
It’s currently unclear what the longer term holds for Chandler after greater than 16 years as an MMA fighter.
