Mixed martial artist Michael Chandler flattened opponent, Tony Ferguson, seconds into the second round of their lightweight fight.
Although he suffered a knockdown in the opening frame, Chandler unleashed a decisive front kick that blasted Ferguson and dropped him face first on the canvas just 17 seconds into the second round.
After the knockout at the Footprint Center, Arizona, Chandler called out Conor McGregor.
He said, “Conor McGregor, you’ve got to come back and fight somebody. I am the most entertaining lightweight on the planet. But I want to up the stakes, Conor. I want you at your biggest, I want you at your baddest and I want you at your best. You and me at 170 this summer, this fall, this winter. Holler at your boy!”
The lightweight bout was part of the UFC 274 main card at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, USA Today reports.
Chandler (23-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) had to battle from adversity before putting away Ferguson (25-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC).
In the first round, both fighters started hot exchanging hard shots. Ferguson managed to connect flush and drop Chandler a minute into the round. Ferguson pressured Chandler and connected a few times before getting taken down halfway through the round. As usual, Ferguson maintained busy on bottom with submission attempts and strikes. He cut open Chandler with one of the shots. Chandler also fired back and connected some ground-and-pound and controlled the position until the final bell.
And to kick off the second round, Chandler came out with everything, throwing a soccer-like kick down the middle and connecting flush on Ferguson. Immediately, Ferguson dropped to the canvas and the fight was called off.
With this result, Chandler snapped a two-fight losing streak. The former Bellator champion was coming off back-to-back defeats to Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje. Chandler debuted for the UFC in 2021 after a decade of competing in Bellator. He stopped Dan Hooker in the first round of their contest. The win over Hooker was Chandler’s only victory in the octagon prior to tonight.
Michael Chandler knocks out Tony Ferguson with a kick at UFC 274 at Footprint Center.
After the victory, Chandler cut an incredible promo, calling out the winner of the main event between Oliveira and Gaethje, or opting to welcome former champ-champ Conor McGregor back to action.
