5 talking points going into UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje

#4. Can Michael Chandler fight smart, or will he feed the urge to stand-and-bang?

Michael Chandler has been on the UFC roster for a little over a year now and he's already made quite a splash. The former Bellator champion joined the UFC in 2020 and made his promotional debut in January 2021. He cruised to a first-round TKO victory against lightweight contender Dan Hooker to open his account.

However, Chandler has picked up back-to-back losses since then. He almost beat Charles Oliveira in the first round of their championship bout, but went on to get finished in the second by the Brazilian. He subsequently took on Justin Gaethje, and the duo put on a scintillating bout that ended up winning the 'Fight of the Year' award.

Chandler's desire to put on entertaining fights arguably cost him twice last year. He seemingly emptied his gas tank prematurely against Oliviera, which ultimately worked against him. In his barnburner with Gaethje, 'Iron' opted to stand-and-bang rather than utilize a more measured approach, which saw him get picked apart.

In a game of inches, Chandler hasn't always made the smartest decisions, which can prove to be hugely detrimental against world-class opposition. At UFC 274, he will be eyeing his second win in the UFC when he takes on former interim champion Tony Ferguson.

Currently 1-2 in the lightweight division, Chandler will be well aware that he cannot afford to engage in another stand-and-bang slugfest. If he wants to realize his championship aspirations in the UFC, the American will have to resist the urge to recklessly exchange leather. If he can maintain his composure, another title fight down the line becomes all the more plausible.

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#3. Can Tony Ferguson spark a career resurgence, or will the downward spiral continue?

Tony Ferguson was once among the scariest fighters on the UFC roster. Between 2013 and 2019, 'El Cucuy' went on a historic 12-fight win streak comprising dominant victories over the likes of Josh Thomson, Edson Barboza, Rafael dos Anjos, Kevin Lee, Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone.

Ferguson remains one of the unluckiest fighters in UFC history as well, with his scheduled bout against former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov falling through five times.

His scorching win streak came to a crashing halt two years ago, as he picked up consecutive losses to Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush in his next three outings.

In his losses to the aforementioned lightweights, Ferguson appeared to have lost the killer instinct that made him so dangerous during his six-year unbeaten run. Nevertheless, the former interim champion is beloved by fans, who will be hoping he can return to winning ways when he takes on Michael Chandler at UFC 274.

Tony Ferguson turned 38 earlier this year and it appears as though his best days are behind him. Despite losing his last three fights, he has shown that he is still incredibly durable and remains a threat no matter where the fight ends up. Additionally, all three losses came against the cream of the crop at 155 pounds.

It's been almost a year since Ferguson's last fight and he'll likely be well-prepared for this outing. He will be looking to capitalize on Michael Chandler's often impetuous approach and will rely on his sublime finishing ability to get the job done.

However, Chandler's power is a real concern in this one. Ferguson has absorbed quite a bit of damage over the course of his career and this matchup could turn out to be the straw that broke the camel's back. This fight will serve as the perfect litmus test to determine whether 'El Cucuy' is still a top-tier lightweight or not.