Former UFC referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy thinks Michael Chandler has lastly hit Tony Ferguson standing.
After sitting on the sidelines for 2 years ready for a battle that by no means got here to fruition, Chandler returned to the Octagon at UFC 309 for a rematch with former light-weight world champion Charles Oliveira. Regardless of a valiant effort and an electrifying fifth spherical, Chandler got here up quick on the scorecards.
With the loss, Chandler has misplaced 4 of his final 5 underneath the UFC banner together with his solely win throughout that run coming towards Ferguson at UFC 274.
Wanting again on the ex-Bellator titleholder’s efficiency in MSG, McCarthy advised that Chandler’s profession is on a downward trajectory, much like that of ‘El Cucuy’ who infamously misplaced eight straight earlier than being proven the door earlier this yr.
“Michael Chandler has hit Tony Ferguson status — just being honest … absolutely,” McCarthy mentioned in a current episode of his WEIGHING IN podcast with Josh Thomson. “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” (h/t Sportskeeda).
The place does Michael Chandler go from right here?
The place Chandler goes from right here is anybody’s guess.
Sadly, ‘Iron’ wasted a big chunk of his time ready for a battle with Conor McGregor that, in all actually, was by no means going to occur.
After all, that didn’t cease Chandler from calling out the Irishman following his newest loss, however we’ve bought a sense the UFC gained’t be itching to ebook McGregor anytime quickly after he was discovered answerable for the 2018 rape of a lady inside a Dublin resort.
With a shedding file and rematches towards Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje unlikely, McCarthy doesn’t fairly know the place Chandler suits in one of many UFC’s most talent-rich divisions.
“Dustin [Poirier] doesn’t want to fight him again because of the same things that he f*cking ended up doing in the Oliveira fight,” McCarthy mentioned. “Now I all the time sit there and say, ‘If you’re not dishonest, you’re not attempting,’ however don’t sit there and f*cking inform me that he didn’t hit him to the again of the pinnacle.
“I don’t give a f*ck if your fist is going on the other side of his ear when your forearm is hitting him to the back of the head, it’s the f*cking back of the head. … I’m not saying he’s got seven losses in a row (like Ferguson) — I’m saying he’s on the same path as Tony Ferguson.”
