Michael Chandler entered UFC 309 with one thing in mind: a roadmap to glory! However, what unfolded was far from his usual standard. In a scrap that was crucial for his standing in the lightweight division, Chandler struggled to find his rhythm, leaving spectators and analysts questioning what went wrong.

For a fighter of Chandler’s caliber, his uncharacteristic decisions were his undoing. The MSG card was a night to forget and a former UFC referee feels this might just be the end for him.

Michael Chandler might fail to get back to winning ways feels Big John McCarthy

Michael Chandler has long been regarded as one of the most exciting fighters in the lightweight division. Known for his explosive power, wrestling pedigree, and never-quit attitude, Chandler has been a crowd favorite since joining the UFC. However, his outing at UFC 309 may have cast doubt on his ability to remain a top contender in the stacked 155-pound division. Chandler appeared tentative, uncharacteristically hesitant to engage in the firefights that have defined his career. His once-impeccable timing seemed off, and his usual explosive offense lacked its signature precision.

However, ‘Iron’ before entering the fight seemed confident about his chances against Charles Oliveira. More than that, he even claimed that he would be getting a title shot next. But it seems the 38-year-old might have to wait a bit longer to get his next fight. Big John McCarthy and Josh Thomson recently took to their ‘Weighing In’ podcast to discuss the UFC 309 co-main event. McCarthy was highly critical of Chandler’s performance and had no problems sharing his opinion on the whole.

While speaking to Thomson, he said, “I told you we were going to talk about Tony Ferguson. Michael Chandler has hit Tony Ferguson status. Just being honest.” For the unversed, Tony Ferguson was once on a 12-fight winning streak but now his career has taken a complete U-turn with eight back-to-back losses. He then gave the reason for his prediction and felt the 38-year-old was too slow for the lightweight division at the moment. He further added, “Who he’s gonna beat? He looked slow at times. You want to talk about looking slow. You cannot look slow in the lightweight division. You’re gonna die. And he got outwrestled by a Jiu-Jitsu guy.” 

Chandler is currently on a two-fight losing streak and is desperate to get back to winning ways. After the fight, he once again called out Conor McGregor for his much-awaited clash in the hope of a response. However, the former Bellator champion has also shown his interest in taking on Justin Gaethje. But it seems the former BMF title holder has other plans.

Justin Gaethje has no plans of fighting Michael Chandler next in his career

To remain relevant in the division, Chandler will need to reassess his approach. Whether it’s fine-tuning his strategy, focusing on his cardio, or returning to his wrestling roots, adjustments are essential. Moreover, he first needs to find himself an opponent who is willing to fight the 38-year-old next. For a long period, Chandler has shown his interest in fighting Justin Gaethje.

‘Iron’ called the former BMF title holder previously but failed to get a response. His latest callout also failed to catch the attention of ‘The Highlight’ and in a recent conversation with Helen Yee, Gaethje shared his opinion on the whole. When asked by Lee if he was interested in fighting Michael Chandler again, Gaethje said, “No, I mean, I’m more interested in a rematch with Oliveira you know, or Poirier but I prefer something new. I think me and Poirier would be a great fight you know. If it is his last one. I just think that we’re both contenders and I don’t think we’re contenders if we fight each other. And so I’m content with the one and one, hopefully he is.” 

It’s pretty evident that Gaethje wants to get closer to a title shot and fighting ‘Iron’ at this point will not help him move up the rankings towards the championship. As for Chandler, the road ahead doesn’t look promising, with him in the twilight of his career and also because of his loss at UFC 309. Will Michael Chandler get his desired bout next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.