After losing his rematch to Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 last weekend, popular American lightweight Michael Chandler has slumped to 2-4 in the promotion and hasn’t won a fight since he knocked out Tony Ferguson in 2022.
In one of the most damning assessments of a fighter that we’ve ever heard, veteran referee John McCarthy has stated that Chandler “has hit Tony Ferguson status” as he ripped into ‘Iron’ for his performance, repeated illegal strikes, and post-fight callout.
Veteran referee John McCarthy goes on wild rant against Michael Chandler
Before we get into it; a reminder that John McCarthy remains one of the most experienced officials in all of MMA and has used that Guru-esque knowledge to elevate the sport around the world – to put it simply, McCarthy knows his stuff.
Yet the typically mild-mannered referee chose not to mince his words as he brutally roasted Michael Chandler for his performance at UFC 309 – even going as far as to state that he “has hit Tony Ferguson status.
“I’m just being honest – absolutely… Who’s he going to beat? He looked slow, at times, you cannot look slow in the lightweight division [or] you’re going to die… Charles Oliveira made Chandler look his age.
“The two years [away] showed that not only did Michael Chandler not improve as a fighter, but he declined, and he watched his career start to expire… I like Michael Chandler as a person, and I think he’s great for the sport… [But] He’s calling out Conor McGregor after losing again – what the hell?! You can’t do that!”
McCarthy was seething after his ‘Weighing In’ co-host Josh Thomson attempted to come to Chandler’s defense, lamenting how whilst the American was able to garner another viral clip with his fifth-round slam – there shouldn’t have even been a fifth round to begin with.
“I love the fact that he came back and put on a good round in the fifth, but in reality, there shouldn’t have been a fifth round… Oliveira should have got the finish, but even then, it was the co-main [event] and it should have been a three round fight.
“Michael Chandler got crushed, I mean, just crushed,” argued McCarthy, before Thomson suggested that the UFC could move to make a rematch with Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier next.
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“Dustin doesn’t want to fight him again because of the same things that he f***** ended up doing in the Oliveira fight… Now I always sit there and say ‘If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying’ but don’t sit there and f***** tell me that he didn’t hit him to the back of the head!
“I don’t give a f*** if your fist is going on the other side of his ear, when your forearm is hitting to the back of the head, it’s the f***** back of the head… Dustin Poirier doesn’t want to fight him, the guy f***** fish-hooked him, he basically spit in his face, come on – you don’t do that s***!”
It might be slightly unfair to suggest that Chandler is mirroring Ferguson’s infamous decline, although McCarthy did later elaborate on how “He’s on the same path” as the former interim champion.
“Mike’s in the same position, he’s trying – there’s not a doubt in my mind that he’s working his a** off but it’s just not happening like how it used to happen for him.”
Chandler currently retains the #7 spot in the lightweight rankings, one place above Polish wrestler Mateusz Gamrot – and it’s safe to say that McCarthy isn’t a fan of that fight being made next either: “Gamrot?! Have you lost it?! Gamrot will f***** dog-walk him.”
You can watch the full segment, as well as the entire UFC 309 breakdown via the Weighing In YouTube channel.