Michael Chandler refuses to think Tony Ferguson is on the decline.
Ferguson, a former interim lightweight champion, once owned one of the most impressive winning streaks in the UFC but has recently lost three consecutive fights to Justin Gaethje, current lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, and most recently Beneil Dariush.
Despite Ferguson (25-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) handily losing those bouts, Chandler (22-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC) won’t underestimate him when the pair square off at UFC 274 on May 7.
“Tony Ferguson has always been a perennial top guy,” Chandler said on ESPN’s “DC & RC” show. “We’re only a couple of years removed from that illustrious 12-fight win streak that he was on when he looked unbeatable, possibly could’ve even beaten Khabib. There were a lot of people who were picking him to beat Khabib. Would that have happened? We don’t know because we never saw it, but I see Tony Ferguson as a guy who is still extremely dangerous, still always performs well even when he runs into the toughest guys in the division.”
He continued, “I don’t necessarily think it’s a step back, but it’s a winnable fight that’s for darn sure.”
Chandler is on a losing skid of his own. After a standout UFC debut against Dan Hooker, Chandler dropped back-to-back bouts to Oliveira for the title and a barnburner against Gaethje.
He showed incredible toughness in his loss to Gaethje and while Chandler takes solace in knowing that he can dig deep, he understands that he may have to take a smarter approach against Ferguson.
“I can’t sit here and tell you guys that I want to be UFC champion and then go out there and throw caution to the wind every single time and just smile with blood running down my face and enjoy the moment,” Chandler said. “The good thing is I have that gene inside of me, and that’s something that can’t be taught. You can’t teach heart, you can’t teach toughness, you can’t teach grit, and I have that in droves, so I know I can trust myself when the going gets tough and you’re down deep in the valley in the middle of those fights. I know I can pull it out and continue to fight extremely hard within.
“With that being said, the easiest path to victory for me is to stay smart and sharp and get my hand raised. Be willing to disengage, be willing to negotiate these different exchanges with a little bit more of a veteranship, with a little bit more of a head on my shoulders instead of just the beast that’s inside of me, and I think Tony Ferguson is the perfect opponent for that because ultimately, I told all the UFC fans that I wanted to come over and become champion. I do believe I will become UFC champion, but it’s gonna take some wins, and I think Tony Ferguson is the perfect opponent to get back on the winning track.”
https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/04/ufc-274-michael-chandler-tony-ferguson-extremely-dangerous
