5 keys to victory for Tony Ferguson at UFC 274

#4. Drag the fight out

UFC 229: Ferguson(right) v Pettis

After avoiding an early brawl, Ferguson will need to have a crescendo of output. Though Chandler has experience in championship rounds, he was noticeably gassed out entering the third round of his war against Justin Gaethje.

Should 'El Cucuy' begin to wear on Chandler, then fans may see a vintage Tony Ferguson performance. One where his pace, pressure, and output drag the opposition into deep waters. These are the types of fights where the fighter from Oxnard, California, performs at his best.

Michael Chandler is well conditioned and a great fighter, but if he plays into pleasing the crowd too much, he may find himself worn out by the third round. This will be the worst-case scenario for the former Bellator champion. What's bad for him is great for the former UFC interim lightweight champion. Tony Ferguson may have been beaten in the past, but he doesn't slow down one bit, even when the fight isn't going his way.

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#3. Use his range

UFC 249 Ferguson v Gaethje

Tony Ferguson will be sporting a five-inch reach advantage, and he'd be wise to use every bit of it. The Sanford MMA fighter could find himself in a lot of trouble when attempting to breach the lengthy offense coming his way.

As seen in his title opportunity fight against Charles Oliveira, Chandler looks to lunge in and out to either be in his preferred striking range or at a distance - getting clipped with a hook on his way out is what cost him the fight. 'El Cucuy' is very capable of catching him in a similar fashion.

Tony Ferguson was able to drop Edson Barboza with a jab, knockout Ramsey Nijem with a rangy hook, and keep Lando Vannata at bay with long strikes - he's great at utilizing his reach advantage, a factor that could mitigate Chandler's chances of landing powerful strikes.