UFC 274: 5 fights which are 'Fight Of The Night' contenders including Chandler vs Ferguson

The MMA world is up for a treat this weekend as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is coming up with its next PPV (pay-per-view), UFC 274 on Saturday night at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, United States. The UFC 274 PPV is headlined by the UFC Lightweight championship bout between Charles Oliviera and Justin Gaethje alongside another title fight in the women’s strawweight division. At the same time, the PPV will also witness the much-anticipated clash between Tony Ferguson and Michael Chandler.

Having said that, here’s a look at the top five fights of UFC 274, which have the potential of becoming the ‘Fight of the Night’.

Charles Oliveira vs Justin Gaethje- Lightweight Title bout

The main event of UFC 274 will witness Charles Oliviera defending the UFC Lightweight championship title against Justin Gaethje. Oliveira is coming off a third-round submission win against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269, while Gaethje defeated Michael Chandler by a unanimous decision at UFC 268. With the title in line, the match will certainly feature many iconic moments and it rightly has the potential to become the ‘Fight of the Night’ at UFC 274.

Rose Namajunas vs Carla Esparza- Women's Strawweight bout

The co-main event of UFC 274 will see women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas defending her title against Carla Esparza. Namajunas (12-4-0) retained her title against Zhang Welli at UFC 268, while Esparza (19-6-0) is coming off a win against Xiaonan at UFC Fight Night in May 2021. This is also a promising matchup and can become the ‘Fight of the Night”.

Michael Chandler vs Tony Ferguson- Lightweight bout

After defeats against Charles Oliviera and Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler is all set to fight UFC veteran Tony Ferguson at UFC 274. Chandler has a record of 22-7-0, while Ferguson’s record stands at 26-7-0. While Chandler is in desperate need of a win to revive his career, Ferguson also seeks to end his losing streak on his return to the ring for the first time in a year. With both Chandler and Ferguson hailed as two of the best fighters in the division, the match has the potential to become the ‘Fight of the Night’.

Donald Cerrone vs Joe Lauzon- Lightweight bout

The main card of UFC 274 also features another lightweight match in form of the Donald Cerrone vs Joe Lauzon clash. Having made his debut in 2006, the 39-year-old Cerrone has a record of 36-16-0 and his last win came in 2019. He will be up against Lauzon at UFC 274, who is also a 15-year-old veteran in MMA. Both fighters are in desperate need of a win as a loss could trigger retirement calls for both UFC veterans. 

Blagoy Ivanov vs Marcos Rogerio de Lima- Heavyweight bout

The Blagoy Ivanov vs Marcos Rogerio de Lima clash is the only heavyweight matchup at UFC 274 under the Prelims card. Marcos (19-8-1) is coming off a win in his last bout, while Blagoy (18-2-0) is coming off a loss in his last match-up. Having said that, this heavyweight clash also has the potential to be the ‘Fight of the Night’.

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