Michael Chandler is at a crossroads after his loss to Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314.
The former three-time Bellator lightweight champion’s career as a top contender appears to be over after he was brutalized en route to a shock third-round knockout loss in Miami, Florida, on Saturday night.
Michael Chandler is riding a three-fight losing streak after falling to 2-5 inside the UFC Octagon.
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping called his latest loss a ‘career killer’ before former dual-weight champion Henry Cejudo went one step further by telling ‘Iron’ to consider walking away from MMA.
- READ MORE: Paddy Pimblett shares touching backstage moment with Michael Chandler after gruesome UFC 314 KO
Michael Chandler advised to retire by Henry Cejudo
Cejudo is also riding a three-fight losing streak as he prepares to have one final UFC bout.
‘Triple C’ believes Chandler should join him in retirement following his devastating loss at UFC 314.
“I think Chandler should have just one more fight, man. I really do,” Cejudo said on the Pound4Pound podcast he shares with former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. “I think we should retire together, maybe on the same card.
“If I’m Michael Chandler, yeah, I’d retire, bro. That’s too many beatings, dude.
“It’s not even taking L’s, he’s taking elbows to the face, he’s always cut and bloody.
“He’s gonna be beloved by people, but he’s lost all of his fights, and people just forget.”
Michael Chandler’s UFC run…
In September 2021, Chandler obliterated Dan Hooker with left hook to win ‘one of the best UFC debuts ever’.
A lightweight title fight with Charles Oliveira followed. Chandler started extremely well and almost finished ‘Do Bronx in round one, but he ended up getting knocked out at the start of the second frame.
The UFC 314 star bounced back with a sensational front kick KO victory over Tony Ferguson in May 2022.
Since then, the 38-year-old has lost consecutive fights against Dustin Poirier, Oliveira, and Pimblett.
It’s currently unclear what the future holds for Chandler after more than 16 years as an MMA fighter.