Known for his loudmouth antics and unapologetic swagger, at UFC 314 Paddy Pimblett showed he’s more than just talk. But before the bout, he made sure to stoke the fire—calling Michael Chandler a “dirty b–tard” and accusing him of ‘rabbit punches’ and ‘fish hooks’ in past fights. These jabs weren’t random either, echoing past claims from respected names like Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, and Charles Oliveira from their respective UFC 281, UFC 268, and UFC 309 bouts with the Missouri native. But the narrative shifted once Pimblett versus Chandler was done.

Fighters understand that their opponents are not their enemies, and that is exactly what the Liverpudlian believes in. Post the fight, he showed true sportsmanship and had some great things to say about ‘Iron’ after trading violence for three minutes and seven seconds in the octagon. He took to Instagram and shared a video of himself hugging Chandler and his son after the fight, and captioned the post:

“It was an absolute pleasure to share the cage with such a legend of the sport in @mikechandlermma. Nothing but respect for him before the fight, and even more after we fought.” While the younger fighter showed his respect, it was an emotional loss for Chandler. No, it had nothing to do with the fact that it was his third straight loss.

If anything, it was the first time his son, Hap Whitaker, saw him lose a fight in person. Chandler posted a video on Instagram days after the loss, where the father-son duo was seen having some snacks together to help his kid deal with the difficult emotions that came with seeing his parent hurt. “MOMENTS. A Nutella cheers. This was the first time Hap saw me lose a fight in person. He was full of emotions back stage, and rightfully so. He was thrown into the pit of a valley he didn’t see coming. The blood and swelling only exacerbated the fears of how daddy was doing as he held my hand as I got stitched up. But in the midst of the chaos and pain was a perfect time to show him how a man responds. Don’t tell them, show them,” Chandler wrote.

And in the small video clip, ‘Iron’ explained to his son: “Sometimes, we are gonna fall short. Come up short. We are always going to keep our head up,” the father stated, and little Hap repeated, “We are always going to keep our head up.”

“Even if you get some cuts on your face,” Chandler said and broke into laughter with his son!

Despite Pimblett’s respectful gesture toward Michael Chandler, it’s hard to ignore the reality—the American’s prime seems to be in the past. His UFC career started with a bang at UFC 257 when he made his debut against Dan Hooker. A few setbacks followed, then one more win, and for a while, Iron’s career looked promising. But the momentum came to a screeching halt. For over 21 months, Chandler sat on the sidelines, burning through his peak years, waiting for Conor McGregor to lock in a big-money fight.

Now, the cost is catching up to him. Chandler’s recent performances have fallen flat, a far cry from the explosive force he once was. As his shine continues to dim, one question lingers—can the so-called ‘Dana White privilege’ still shield him from being cut? Let’s find out.

Dana White spoke about Michael Chandler’s future in the UFC

Win or lose, Michael Chandler has cemented himself as one of those rare fighters whose presence alone guarantees excitement. He might not always walk away with his hand raised, but he never fails to deliver a heart-pounding, exciting performance that MMA fans crave. Renowned for his high-octane style, ‘Iron’ earned four consecutive Fight Night bonuses—a testament to the energy and entertainment he consistently brings inside the Octagon. Though he hasn’t tasted victory since November 2022, Chandler’s recent skid hasn’t fazed UFC CEO Dana White.

If anything, White remains one of his biggest supporters. Speaking at the UFC 314 post-fight press conference, White praised ‘Iron’s warrior spirit and star power: “I mean, he’s always in the fight,” White told the reporters. “Tonight was a big night for Paddy Pimblett. Like we were just talking about, people have been doubting Paddy Pimblett every single fight he fights, and he’s undefeated in the UFC. But Chandler is like our Arturo Gatti, man. Every time that guy goes in, you know you’re in for a good fight, you know it’s going to be a war, and you don’t know whether he’s going to win or lose.”

Now, considering Chandler’s recent struggles, how do you see his future in the UFC unfolding? With his losing streak continuing, how much longer do you think he can remain with the promotion? It’ll be interesting to see if his fan-favorite status and entertaining fights can keep him in the spotlight, despite the results. Drop your thoughts below.