A UFC and Bellator veteran believes Michael Chandler has officially ‘checked out’ of the fight game.
After nearly a decade, the former Bellator Lightweight Champion has dropped three fights in a row once again, this time on the world’s biggest stage in the UFC.
Chandler hasn’t been in the win column since knocking out Tony Ferguson in 2022, coming up short in his latest appearances against former champions Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira and most recently Paddy Pimblett over the weekend at UFC 314.
On Saturday, Paddy ‘The Baddy’ proved himself a worthy contender with a bludgeoning of Chandler for a third-round TKO finish, leaving Chandler in pool of his own blood.
Falling to a younger prospect rather than to a fellow legend, Chandler’s future has been put on the spot by former UFC Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping, who thinks the loss could ‘kill’ his career.
Another retired UFC star Josh Thomson agrees that Chandler is at the end of his rope at 38 years old.
Josh Thomson says Michael Chandler’s ‘done’ after UFC 314
A former UFC and Bellator fighter like Chandler with several common opponents such as Tony Ferguson, Benson Henderson and Patricky Pitbull, Thomson calls the former champion ‘washed’ for his dud performance against Pimblett.
From what he could see, Thomson thinks Chandler’s days of being an elite lightweight are behind him.
“The reality is he’s done,” Thomson said of Chandler on The Weighing In Podcast.
“He is washed.
“He’s literally made so much money. He’s got one foot out the door,” Thomson said.
“It’s not in him anymore. There’s no drive. Did you see the way he was in the corner with Henri Hooft? Henri’s talking to him. He had no reaction. There was nothing there…”
Josh Thomson saw ‘no push’ from Michael Chandler against Paddy Pimblett
The Michael Chandler we saw at UFC 309 last November survived five rounds with the UFC’s prized submission artist Charles Oliveira on his back. Chandler nearly finished the former champion in the final round with punches before losing by decision.
At UFC 314, Chandler was carved up with elbows and ground and pound strikes for his first TKO loss in nearly four years. We’ve seen Chandler in countless five-round wars throughout his MMA career, which makes Pimblett’s stoppage all the more surprising.
“The Michael Chandler that we knew that was very comfortable with constantly fighting hands, constantly trying to spin inside the the the body lock. All of those things we had seen multiple times against world class fighters of him doing that,” Thomson said.
“And in this situation, literally settling on the bottom, literally just being comfortable just hanging out on his hands and knees just with no wrist control. Just kind of hanging there and letting himself get hit…
“Those are the things that when I’m watching as a fighter, he’s checked out,” Thomson continued.
“There’s no push. You can train as hard as you want. You can look as ripped as stripped, as ripped and shredded as you want. Ripped does not help your mental when you’re inside that cage…”
Still in tip-top shape at 38, Michael Chandler has been professionally fighting since 2009 with Josh Thomson thinking it’s about time for the veteran to hang up the gloves.
