Michael Chandler’s knockout of Tony Ferguson hasn’t gotten any less spectacular.
Chandler was on the ropes and in need of a big win when he collided with Ferguson in May at UFC 274. A three-time former Bellator lightweight champion, Chandler had suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje heading into the event, and a third straight loss could’ve been disastrous for his UFC title hopes.
Ferguson, likewise, was faring no better. After a long reign as one of the top lightweights in the world, “El Cucuy” had dropped three straight bouts to Gaethje, Oliveira, and Beneil Dariush in advance of his showdown with Chandler.
For both men, the pressure was on.
And Chandler seized the moment with one of the most violent knockouts of 2022.
Watch replay of Chandler’s handiwork above ahead of his UFC 281 bout against Dustin Poirier, which takes place Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York.