Tony Ferguson will return to the UFC Octagon after almost a year, to take on Michael Chandler on the main card of UFC 274. Ferguson was last seen inside the cage back at UFC 262 in May of 2021, where he took Beneil Dariush in a losing effort. He is on a three-fight losing skid and will look to jump back to the winning column with a win over Chandler.
Meanwhile, Michael Chandler last stepped inside the Octagon in a brutal slugfest against Justin Gaethje back at UFC 268. Chandler is also on a losing skid, dropping stoppage, and decision losses against Gaethje and Oliveira respectively.
“Hands Up Chin Down” Have A Great Day Mi Gente🍃- Champ 🥇 -CSO- 🇺🇸🏆🇲🇽 # UFC👣274 What A Session Lost Track Of How Many Rounds 🐢💨🍃 pic.twitter.com/UdhxIlITMf
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) May 5, 2022
Ahead of this exciting match-up between two of the most entertaining fighters the world of mixed martial arts has ever seen, let’s break down the fight and try to predict who gets his hand raised this weekend.
Tony Ferguson vs Michael Chandler stats
| Stats | Michael Chandler | Tony Ferguson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 22 | 25 |
| Losses | 7 | 6 |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in | 6 ft 0 in |
| Division | Lightweight | Lightweight |
| Reach | 76 1/2 in | 71 in |
| Team | Extreme Couture | Snapdown City Academy |
Tony Ferguson vs Michael Chandler fight breakdown
It’s a bad match-up! One may not have said the same when Tony Ferguson was at the peak of his career, however, as it stands today, the idea is not the same.
Michael Chandler has proven it all inside the cage in just three performances in the UFC. While his decorated career at Bellator has also brought him great experience, the three fights he has had in the UFC, and the magnitude of it have made him comfortable on the biggest stage.
“Hands Up Chin Down” -Champ 🥇 -CSO- 🇺🇸🏆🇲🇽 # UFC👣274 Smart Workin’ Today W/ My Team 📈 Thanks Crew🍃 -Team El Cucuy- pic.twitter.com/XVQ8hJqThx
— Tony Ferguson (@TonyFergusonXT) May 5, 2022
And going against someone like Tony Ferguson, the experience of fighting a submission ace in the form of Charles Oliveira, and a knockout artist in the form of Justin Gaethje is obviously going to helo him. On the other hand, looking at how dominantly Ferguson has lost in recent times, it’s hard not to favor Michael Chandler.
Chandler could well be the first fighter to stop Ferguson inside three rounds
Justin Gaethje is the only fighter to earn a stoppage win over Tony Ferguson, however, it wasn’t a stoppage one would associate with actually knocking someone out to an extent where a series of unanswered shots forces the referee to step in. But that could change at UFC 274.
Michael Chandler carries enormous power in his hands and is much quicker on the feet than Ferguson. Chandler is bulky and has a credible wrestling background, something we have seen Ferguson struggle against in both of his recent fights.
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Be that as it may, there’s no denying the unpredictable nature of mixed martial arts, or to say the least, the unpredictable nature of Tony Ferguson! El Cucuy has time and again shown just how incredible he is when he gets going.
Ferguson’s unorthodox approach and his BJJ pedigree set him apart from the rest of the division. However, if we had to pick, it’s Michael Chandler, who might get his hand raised this weekend at UFC 274.
Michael Chandler vs Tony Ferguson prediction: Michael Chandler vis Split Decision
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