Michael Chandler facing career crossroads after UFC 314

The once great challenger and three-time Bellator champion is facing difficult times today. Michael Chandler, known as one of the most explosive fighters of his generation, has not looked like the same fighter who was immediately pushed into the title fight by the UFC in 2021 for a long time.

Defeats against Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier and now Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314, where he was defeated by TKO, have put the 38-year-old on the longest losing streak of his professional career.

A new threat on the horizon

The situation is further complicated by the public call-out by Terrance McKinney, a fighter known for his explosiveness and fights that almost never go to a referee's decision.

"Your son's grown up, it's time for a new man in the house," McKinney said on the X Network, apparently alluding to Chandler's adopted African-American son, further trying to shake up his rival.

“‘Twrecks’ vs. ‘Iron Mike.’ Let’s see who’s the best in the first round,” he added, clearly wanting the fight to be quick and brutal.

Although Michael technically only has three straight losses, McKinney downplays his 2022 win over Tony Ferguson, noting that it doesn’t count because Ferguson was on the worst losing streak in UFC history at the time.

However, McKinney’s wishes may not be granted anytime soon. Speaking to The Schmo, the veteran fighter revealed that he’s currently enjoying a quieter family life. He recently became a father to a daughter, and as he says, he’s still emotionally recovering from the fight that never happened – the one against Conor McGregor.

Two years of waiting ended in disappointment last summer, and the question is whether Michael Chandler will ever step into the cage again or whether new life priorities will bring victory.

The situation is quite interesting, and there are many unanswered questions when it comes to all this.