Should Michael Chandler consider retiring from MMA after devastating UFC 314 loss? Exploring 'Iron's' prospects in the WWE

Michael Chandler is at a career crossroads following UFC 314. This past Saturday, he took on rising lightweight star Paddy Pimblett, who he and many others felt was not quite cut for the upper echelon of the division. Pimblett, after all, fights as though he's impossible to knock out, neither tucking his chin nor moving his head.

Moreover, the Scouser's striking, although effective and powerful, is goofy and unpolished, with poor fundamentals. To make matters worse, his main strength is his Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but he has never been a particularly strong wrestler, so how would these deficiencies fare against a heavy-handed wrestler like Chandler?

As it turns out, Pimblett passed what was meant to be his toughest-ever test with flying colors. He demolished Chandler via third-round TKO. Even an unranked journeyman like Jared Gordon made 'The Baddy' struggle more than 'Iron' did.

Then again, Gordon has spent half of his career in the UFC, while Chandler built his record off the back of being a champion and contender in a lesser promotion like Bellator. So, where does he go from here?

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Michael Chandler's retirement? Analyzing his UFC ceiling

At UFC 314, Michael Chandler suffered the most crushing loss of his current UFC stint. After failing to control or damage Paddy Pimblett off of his round-one takedowns, 'Iron' gassed out badly and was battered, taken down, and ultimately TKO'd by a man he considered beneath him. A man outside of the top 10.

But the view he held of his own standing in the promotion's lightweight division was inaccurate, and Chandler should retire. There is nothing left for him to accomplish, rather, attempt to accomplish, in the UFC. There is very little reason to think him capable of beating nearly anyone in the top 10, besides Dan Hooker.

Chandler debut in the promotion with an impressive first-round TKO of Dan Hooker at UFC 257. He was thereafter fast-tracked to a title fight with Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight belt at UFC 262. After a strong first round, wherein he rocked and dropped Oliveira, he was TKO'd in round two.

But there was still hope. He had good showings. Unfortunately, he then faced Justin Gaethje at UFC 268, where he fought hard but was ultimately knocked down and beaten via unanimous decision. He rebounded by knocking out an old Tony Ferguson on a then-three-fight losing streak at UFC 274.

He followed that up by getting submitted by Dustin Poirier at UFC 281, getting outwrestled by 'do Bronx' in their UFC 309 rematch, and finally, getting TKO'd by Pimblett. Should he retire? Yes. He turns 39 years old in 8 days, is 2-5 in his last seven fights, and is now ranked outside of the top 10.

Chandler will never be a UFC champion, and he takes tremendous damage in most of his fights. Sitting in wait for a Conor McGregor fight that he's been warned will never happen isn't a solution either. The Irishman is unlikely to ever fight again.

The lightweights are too good for him, and he's too big to cut down to featherweight, and too small to be a threat at welterweight.

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Michael Chandler's WWE potential

Michael Chandler wouldn't be the first MMA fighter to trade the UFC for the WWE. However, at his age, the prospects of him competing in the ring are zero. He's too old and his too much mileage on his body to learn the ins and outs of in-ring work, ring psychology, and all of the requirements to be a pro-wrestler.

He can, though, become a mouthpiece for a stable. Chandler cuts a fantastic promo, having done so in several post-fight interviews. In fact, he once cut a promo on an episode of WWE's 'Monday Night Raw,' calling out Conor McGregor for their failed fight.

Given his MMA and amateur wrestling background, Chandler could serve as the manager and hype man for the American Made stable consisting of amateur wrestlers Chad Gable, Julius Creed, Brutus Creed, and amateur MMA fighter Ivy Nile.

With the UFC and WWE both under the same corporate banner, it's an easy path for Chandler.