{"id":902070,"date":"2026-04-28T03:29:05","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T08:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/28\/michael-chandler-may-be-forced-to-retire-after-his-white-house-fight-according-to-ufc-legend\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T03:29:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T08:29:05","slug":"michael-chandler-may-be-forced-to-retire-after-his-white-house-fight-according-to-ufc-legend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/28\/michael-chandler-may-be-forced-to-retire-after-his-white-house-fight-according-to-ufc-legend\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Chandler may be forced to retire after his White House fight according to UFC legend"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<article id=\"post-302252\">\n<p><strong>Chael Sonnen thinks June 14 could end up being the end of the road in the UFC for Michael Chandler.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While he missed out on a rebooked showdown with <a href=\"https:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/tag\/conor-mcgregor\/\">Conor McGregor<\/a>, Chandler still had his wish to compete at the upcoming event at the White House granted.<\/p>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<p>The former Bellator champion will return from a 14-month layoff in Washington D.C. on June 14. Setting the stage for two title fights, <a href=\"https:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/2026\/03\/27\/ufc-white-house-defended-by-goat-who-sees-michael-chandlers-fight-as-bigger-than-rousey-vs-carano\/\">Chandler will fight Mauricio Ruffy<\/a> on the UFC White House undercard.<\/p>\n<p>According to \u2018The Bad Guy\u2019, the bout is likely to be a make-or-break moment for the 39-year-old.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><svg width=\"20\" height=\"20\"><use href=\"http:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/#list-arrow-svg\" \/><\/svg><strong>LATEST NEWS:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/2026\/04\/05\/renato-moicano-slams-ufc-for-giving-him-unknown-chris-duncan-instead-of-paddy-pimblett-like-name\/\">Renato Moicano slams UFC for giving him \u2018unknown\u2019 Chris Duncan instead of Paddy Pimblett-like name<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div data-trigger=\"vue-sidebar\" data-story-id=\"c42b5ae6-aae8-4fcb-9fa3-2d637f9f7e28\" data-story-name=\"Michael Chandler\" data-comment-id=\"2d9f3f6b-df64-4c34-a485-fc7bc9045235\" data-story-slug=\"michael-chandler\">\n<header>  <\/header>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><h3>Is it time for Michael Chandler to retire?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure>\n<table readabilityDataTable=\"1\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Opponent<\/td>\n<td>Result<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Paddy Pimblett<\/td>\n<td>LOSS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Charles Oliveira<\/td>\n<td>LOSS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Dustin Poirier<\/td>\n<td>LOSS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Tony Ferguson<\/td>\n<td>WIN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Justin Gaethje<\/td>\n<td>LOSS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Charles Oliveira<\/td>\n<td>LOSS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Dan Hooker<\/td>\n<td>WIN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Chael Sonnen expects a UFC White House defeat to lead to Michael Chandler\u2019s retirement<\/h2>\n<p>While he has enhanced his reputation as an all-action fighter, things have not exactly gone to plan for <a href=\"https:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/tag\/michael-chandler\/\">Chandler<\/a> in the UFC.<\/p>\n<p>Since leaving Bellator to ply his trade on MMA\u2019s biggest stage, \u2018Iron\u2019 has lost five of his seven fights inside the Octagon. Most recently, <a href=\"https:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/2025\/04\/13\/paddy-pimblett-vs-michael-chandler-ufc-314-result-the-baddy-scores-vicious-ko-in-bloody-co-main-event\/\">Chandler was knocked out by Paddy Pimblett<\/a> at UFC 314 last April.<\/p>\n<p>Having lost three fights in a row, the veteran lightweight will be desperate to have his hand raised at the White House, especially given his staunch patriotism.<\/p>\n<p>In the eyes of <a href=\"https:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/tag\/chael-sonnen\/\">Sonnen<\/a>, it\u2019s crucial that he does so should he plan to continue fighting beyond June 14.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cChandler will retire if Ruffy beats him,\u201d Sonnen said in a recent video uploaded to his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9VhibuPmomw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">YouTube<\/a> channel.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe likely will, and I do not know if it will necessarily be his choice. Chandler is now 38 years old. Chandler is also gainfully employed by Paramount and is going to be part of the announcing team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cChandler\u2019s one of those guys who still wants to be a world champion,\u201d Sonnen continued. \u201cSo if he gets confronted with that\u2019s just not in your future\u2026he likely would say, \u2018Fair enough. Give my spot to somebody else.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><svg width=\"20\" height=\"20\"><use href=\"http:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/#list-arrow-svg\" \/><\/svg><strong>LATEST NEWS:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/2026\/04\/05\/jon-jones-record-as-youngest-champion-may-be-under-threat-as-ufc-vegas-115-winner-reveals-bold-plan\/\">Jon Jones\u2019 record as youngest champion may be under threat as UFC Vegas 115 winner reveals bold plan<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div data-trigger=\"vue-sidebar\" data-story-id=\"c21b46c9-3ea0-497d-9cb5-24e774b15c78\" data-story-name=\"UFC White House\" data-comment-id=\"e2d874d2-8377-4691-98ec-16cdc33db7c6\" data-story-slug=\"ufc-white-house\">\n<header>  <\/header>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h3>Is this card White House worthy? \ud83e\udd14<\/h3>\n<p>Rate it out of 10 in the comments \u2b07\ufe0f<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/1\/2026\/03\/HC27MVebkAE3jYL-819x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"UFC White House line up\" ><\/p><figcaption title=\"UFC White House line up. Credit: UFC\/X\">UFC White House line up. Credit: UFC\/X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Even with his struggle to secure wins inside the Octagon, Chandler has continued to tip himself for a return to the title picture.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Iron\u2019 was inches away from becoming champion in just his second UFC fight. <a href=\"https:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/2021\/05\/16\/ufc-262-results-charles-oliveira-rallies-to-stop-michael-chandler-with-strikes-in-round-2-mma-news\/\">Chandler was KO\u2019d by Charles Oliveira<\/a> after almost finishing the Brazilian in round one at UFC 262 five years ago.<\/p>\n<p>At this stage in his career, it\u2019s almost certain that Chandler won\u2019t be competing with UFC gold on the line again.<\/p>\n<div data-src=\"http:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/none\" data-type=\"subscribe\">\n<figure>\n<div><svg width=\"118\" height=\"36\" viewBox=\"0 0 118 36\"><use href=\"http:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/#dots-svg\" \/><\/svg><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span>Join Our Newsletter<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Receive a digest of our best Bloody Elbow content each week direct to your mailbox<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p> Harvey Leonard<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/bloodyelbow.com\/2026\/04\/05\/michael-chandler-may-be-forced-to-retire-after-his-white-house-fight-according-to-ufc-legend\/\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chael Sonnen thinks June 14 could end up being the end of the road in the UFC for Michael Chandler. While he missed out on a rebooked showdown with Conor McGregor, Chandler still had his wish to compete at the upcoming event at the White House granted. The former Bellator champion will return from a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":902071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44668,1174],"tags":[15518,9319],"class_list":{"0":"post-902070","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-chandler","8":"category-michael","9":"tag-chandler","10":"tag-michael"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/902070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=902070"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/902070\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/902071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=902070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=902070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=902070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}