‘You’re going to die’… Veteran referee John McCarthy warns ‘Michael Chandler has hit Tony Ferguson status’ in damning roast

After losing his rematch to Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 last weekend, popular American lightweight Michael Chandler has fallen to 2-4 in the promotion and hasn't won a fight since knocking out Tony Ferguson in 2022.

In one of the most scathing assessments of a fighter we've ever heard, veteran referee John McCarthy has declared that Chandler “achieved Tony Ferguson status” when he ripped 'Iron' for his performance, repeated illegal strikes and post- battle call.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Experienced referee John McCarthy goes wild against Michael Chandler

Before we get into it; a reminder that John McCarthy remains one of the most experienced officials in all of MMA and has used that guru-like knowledge to elevate the sport around the world – to put it simply, McCarthy knows his stuff.

Yet the typically mild-mannered referee chose not to mince his words as he brutally roasted Michael Chandler for his performance at UFC 309 – even going so far as to declare that he has “achieved Tony Ferguson status.

“I'm just being honest – absolutely… Who's he going to beat? He looked slow, sometimes you can't look slow in the lightweight division [or] you're going to die… Charles Oliveira made Chandler look so old.

“The two years [away] showed that not only was Michael Chandler not improving as a fighter, but he was declining, and he watched his career end… I love Michael Chandler as a person, and I think he's great for the sport… [But] He calls out Conor McGregor after losing again – who cares?! You can't do that!”

McCarthy was seething after his 'Weighing In' co-host Josh Thomson tried to defend Chandler, complaining that while the American was able to rack up another viral clip with his fifth-round slam – there hadn't even been a fifth-round should be to start with.

“I think it's great that he came back and put in a good lap in the fifth, but in reality there shouldn't have been a fifth lap…Oliveira should have finished, but even then it was the co-main. [event] and it was supposed to be a three round fight.

“Michael Chandler got crushed, I mean just crushed,” McCarthy argued, before Thomson suggested the UFC could move on to a rematch with Dustin 'The Diamond' Poirier.

“Dustin doesn't want to fight him again because of the same things he ended up doing in the Oliveira fight… Now I always sit there and say, 'If you don't cheat, you don't. try', but don't just sit there and tell me he didn't hit him in the back of the head!

“I don't care if your fist hits the other side of his ear, if your forearm hits the back of his head, it's the damn back of his head… Dustin Poirier doesn't want to fight him, the man hooked him, he actually spit in his face, come on – you don't do that!

It might be somewhat unfair to suggest that Chandler is mirroring Ferguson's infamous decline, although McCarthy did later elaborate on how “he's on the same path” as the former interim champion.

“Mike is in the same position, he's trying. I have no doubt he's working his butt off, but it's just not happening the way it used to happen for him.”

Chandler currently holds the #7 spot in the lightweight rankings, one spot above Polish wrestler Mateusz Gamrot – and it's safe to say McCarthy isn't a fan of the next fight either: “Gamrot?! Have you lost it?! Gamrot will fucking walk him the dog.”

You can watch the full segment and breakdown of UFC 309 via the Weighing In YouTube channel.

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