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#2. Former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chandler
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Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chandler isn’t a headliner at UFC 274, but it will be a high-stakes contest. Both have been putting on entertaining fights for more than a decade and have earned an excellent reputation.
Ferguson is a former TUF winner and interim lightweight champion, while Chandler is a former three-time Bellator lightweight champion. The two were previously linked to a bout in 2020, but the timing didn’t work out. Instead, Ferguson fought Charles Oliveira, and Chandler made his promotional debut one month later against Dan Hooker.
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‘El Cucuy’ has lost three straight bouts, and ‘Iron’ has lost two straight for the first time since 2014. Both fighters essentially have their backs against the wall. The bout's outcome could be crucial for their respective title aspirations, as a loss could jeopardize their ranking. The fight has all the makings of being a strong candidate for Fight of the Night.
#1. UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje
UFC 274 will be headlined by a highly anticipated lightweight championship bout. Charles Oliveira will make his second title defense when he takes on former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
Oliveira has had quite the rise to stardom in the lightweight division. It was a tough climb up the rankings. However, he continued winning until it was clear that he was deserving of a more significant opportunity. He had his fair share of struggles at featherweight, and the move to lightweight was the correct decision.
‘Do Bronx’ won the championship in a come-from-behind technical knockout win over Michael Chandler last year. He followed that by submitting former interim champion Dustin Poirier in an impressive fashion. The success was significant as he set the record for most finishes in the promotion’s history.
Gaethje is also no stranger to finishing opponents and putting on exciting fights for fans. He will head into the contest following a thrilling unanimous decision win over Chandler. Out of his 23 wins, ‘The Highlight’ has won 19 via knockout or TKO.
