Did Conor McGregor deal a major blow to Michael Chandler’s MMA career—without even throwing a punch? The former Bellator champion spent nearly two years on standby, waiting for the elusive clash with ‘Mystic Mac’ that never materialized. When he finally returned at UFC 309, he was matched against Charles Oliveira and suffered a unanimous decision loss. Things only worsened when the UFC paired him with Paddy Pimblett in what many believed was a rebound fight. Instead, Chandler was thoroughly dominated and ultimately knocked out by the rising Brit. Despite the back-to-back setbacks, Chandler remains motivated, hitting the gym hard, though his unwavering spirit seems to have gotten a reality check from Renato Moicano.

A brutal TKO stoppage in the third round cemented Pimblett’s status as one of the top contenders in the lightweight division. With seven straight wins, the Liverpool native silenced everyone who had previously doubted him. As Pimblett rises through the rankings, Michael Chandler is faced with a harsh reality: change the game plan or suffer more losses. Michael Chandler fell to the #12 ranking after his loss to Pimblett, but his spirit has yet to take a major hit.

Months after his defeat, Michael Chandler took to X to share a motivational training video, captioned: “Throw yourself into the deep waters. Walk on. See you at the top!'” In his UFC career, Chandler has fought seven times but has lost five of those bouts — a record he likely isn’t proud of. His two wins came against a declining Tony Ferguson and Dan Hooker, before his reckoning. Well, Moicano reacted to Chandler’s post. How? Well, he reshared his X post on his time with a caption that read, “That’s crazy!!! it’s like that movie where people are stuck in a loop! Every day has been the same routine since the Paddy fight!”

Moicano believes that Michael Chandler’s current situation is quite sad, considering he not only wasted his prime but also ensured that his comeback has been marred by defeats. Interestingly, since his loss to Paddy Pimblett, Chandler has intensified his weight training — a move analysts criticize, arguing that he should instead focus on the fundamental aspects of martial arts. Well, Moicano’s statement has opened a new door for him as fans are now pushing for the Brazilian to fight Chandler in the near future.

Fans want Renato Moicano for Michael Chandler next

Does weight training make you a better MMA fighter? It might give you strength, but without the basics, all those muscles are useless. In all of Chandler’s fights, we’ve seen that the former Bellator champion comes in much more impressive shape than his opponents. But what stops him from tasting glory is his subpar game plan. Looking at this, a fan wrote, “I wonder if he realizes strength training isn’t making him a better fighter?” Moreover, a social media user raised a genuine question, “You’d think maybe he’d change something after him gassing after round 1 of the paddy fight.”   

And while Moicano made a statement pitying Michael Chandler, will he fight him? A fan answered the question, writing,” You won’t fight him, tho I wanna see that” Why would that be? Moicano himself answered this question in a conversation with MMA Junkie. When asked whether Chandler can fight any top 15 lightweight contender, Moicano stated, “No, to be honest. It’s very tough, you know? People think I dislike Chandler, but I don’t. I respect him. I just don’t think he’s that good, you know?” But that does not mean the fans are on board. A social media user expressed interest in witnessing a fight between them: “Renato vs Chandler would actually be”

A social media user criticized Renato Moicano, claiming that he lost his bout against José Aldo, “brotha you got beat by washed Jose Aldo.” ‘Scarface’ fought Moicano at UFC Fight Night 144, where they co-headlined the event. Jose Aldo knocked out Moicano in the second round to emerge victorious. Furthermore, Chandler finally found some support from the social media in a comment that read, “Good for him though keeping healthy and in shape at least.” 

The Brazilian is currently on a one-fight losing streak, as his last bout against Islam Makhachev ended in the very first round. Although he failed to secure the belt, he still earned more than Makhachev. Regardless, what are your thoughts on a fight between Michael Chandler and Renato Moicano? State your opinion in the comments below.