Was Chandler Ever UFC Material?
During MMAFighting‘s latest edition of “The Fighter vs. The Writer,” Matt Brown leaned into the debate of whether or not Michael Chandler was ever a UFC caliber fighter.
“For me there’s a little bit of questions in me: OK, how great really was Chandler or is Paddy really all that?” Brown said on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer. “Chandler has fought the absolute best, and he’s beat some really good guys, too, especially in Bellator. He beat some really good guys. I guess there’s a little question mark in my head like was Chandler just not UFC material. Maybe did his head get a little bit off course? He played a little bit too much into the Arturo Gatti role that Dana [White] called him? Maybe bought into that a little bit too much? Or is Paddy really all that good? He certainly looked good last weekend. Did he look like a champion? I’m not sure about that.
“Chandler is either past his prime or just wasn’t UFC material to begin with and Paddy is a top 10 guy. I think both things could be true at the same time. Paddy proved to me he is a top 10 guy.”
Time will tell what’s next for Chandler following his one-sided loss to Paddy Pimblett. Some expect “Iron” to be matched up with emerging rankings hopefuls going forward. Chandler hasn’t won an MMA bout since 2022 when he knocked out Tony Ferguson, who is no longer of member of the UFC roster.
Chandler finds himself in a three-fight skid. He’s suffered losses to Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, and now Pimblett.
