Michael Chandler‘s big dream of being a part of the historic UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House turned into a complete nightmare earlier, as the 40-year-old veteran was brutally picked apart and knocked out in the very first round by rising prospect Mauricio Ruffy. This meant ‘Iron’ just extended his current losing streak to four fights.

And while ‘Iron’ took to social media to promise a more powerful comeback, the MMA community is starting to push back hard. On The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast, retired UFC welterweight legend Matt Brown delivered a hard reality check on Michael Chandler’s current situation, claiming that the former Bellator champion no longer belongs in the Octagon.

“With Michael Chandler, just his whole UFC run hasn’t been anything of note,” he said. “The fact that he’s as big of a star as he is in the UFC—I like Michael Chandler; I’m not trying to knock him, I’m just looking at objective facts—he shouldn’t be the star that he is in the UFC.

“He’s won two fights in the UFC, 2-6, and how are you 2-6 and you’re as big of a star as him? It doesn’t really add up. He was great in Bellator. He had the great fights with Eddie Alvarez, and there’s definitely a lot of potential in him. He hasn’t reached his potential.”

In fact, with Michael Chandler’s disappointing promotional record over the last four years, Matt Brown believes it’s time for Dana White to step in.

“I would not get excited to see him fight again,” he said. “If I’m Dana White, I either cut him or tell him you need to retire.”

It is also worth noting that Matt Brown isn’t the only pioneer pushing for the end of the road. Chael Sonnen, a former UFC title challenger and UFC legend, wasted no time delivering his own scathing judgment.

Moments after Chandler faceplanted on the South Lawn, ‘The American Gangster’ took to X to shut the door on any future comeback narratives, posting a short and sweet message.

“Great career. Let’s wrap it up,” he wrote.

However, while Matt Brown is calling for the end of Michael Chandler’s run in the Dana White-led promotion, that doesn’t mean he wants him to retire from being an active fighter. Instead, the welterweight legend wants ‘Iron’ to make a transition instead.

Matt Brown provides Michael Chandler with alternative routes outside of the UFC

While ‘Iron’ has amassed a massive fan base by delivering blood-and-guts blockbusters against Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, Matt Brown argues that putting on entertaining losses should not buy a fighter unlimited career equity—especially when his only wins are a 2021 debut against Dan Hooker and a front-kick knockout of a heavily declined Tony Ferguson.

“The Tony Ferguson knockout is almost irrelevant,” he continued. “The Dan Hooker [knockout], that’s a good win at the time, but that’s it. You got one good win. It’s different when you’ve got B.J. Penn on a seven- or eight-fight losing streak or whatever.

“A f—— legend who was a champion back in the day. You’re like, ‘OK, we want you to retire, but if you want to [keep fighting], we’ll keep giving you fights.’ Michael Chandler hasn’t done anything for the UFC. He sold some tickets and some pay-per-views. He hasn’t accomplished anything in the UFC.”

So, if Michael Chandler decides to leave combat sports, ‘The Immortal’ believes there are plenty of other stages where his wild, explosive style would still make him a top draw—just outside of the elite UFC roster.

“I’d like to see him in bare-knuckle,” he added. “I’d like to see him maybe in Gamebred MMA, the bare-knuckle stuff. I think there’s fun things for him to do.

“I think RAF would be a great spot for him. There are fun things for Chandler to do. The UFC—he’s clearly not cut out for it at this age.

When he was 29, maybe he would have been. Clearly he was, especially with his wars with Alvarez. Clearly he was that guy. But that time’s over.”

Ultimately, the ball rests in Dana White’s court. ‘Iron’ has proven time and again that he is a company man who is willing to wait on the sidelines or accept short-notice wars to please the brass. However, at 40 years old and the lightweight division moving faster than ever, the difference between being a beloved entertainer and an elite contender has never been bigger.

So, if Michael Chandler fights again, it might take a new promotion’s cage—or a bare-knuckle ring—to give him the competitive look he’s chasing.