John McCarthy recently offered a candid assessment of Michael Chandler's career in the wake of his loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 309. 'Iron' returned to action after a two-year hiatus, but his rematch with Oliveira saw him being dominated for the majority of the fight. Despite a late rally, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide, and he ultimately lost via unanimous decision.
With this defeat, Chandler's struggles in the Octagon continue, adding to his third-round submission loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022. He has now gone 1-4 in his past five UFC bouts, with his only triumph in that span being a knockout over Tony Ferguson at UFC 274.
During a recent episode of his WEIGHING IN podcast, McCarthy remarked that Chandler’s career seems to be on a downward trajectory and likened it to Ferguson’s, who is currently enduring an eight-fight losing streak:
"Michael Chandler has hit Tony Ferguson status – just being honest … absolutely. Who’s he going to beat? He looked slow. You cannot look slow in the lightweight division. You’re going to die, and he got outwrestled by a jiu-jitsu guy."
Check out John McCarthy's comments below (20:40):
'Iron' made his promotional debut at UFC 257 in January 2021, securing a first-round knockout victory over Dan Hooker. Since then, the former Bellator lightweight champion has been part of some of the most thrilling bouts in recent memory. However, despite these exciting performances, he has struggled to convert them into consistent victories.
Michael Chandler shows severe swelling following his rematch with Charles Oliveira
A few days ago, Michael Chandler revealed that his rematch with Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 left him with the most severe injuries he has ever suffered in his career. He explained that the damage from the fight was unlike anything he had experienced before, causing excruciating pain and a variety of other physical challenges.
On Tuesday, 'Iron' took to Instagram Stories to post a video showing the extreme swelling on his right leg. Chandler emphasized the extent of the injury by pressing two fingers into the swollen area, leaving noticeable impressions that remained long after he removed his fingers.
Check out Michael Chandler's video below: