Report: Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson Eyed for UFC 274; Agreements in Place

The UFC is reportedly looking to schedule a bout between two struggling lightweight fighters on its May 7 pay-per-view card. 

Per MMA Fighting's Damon Martin, Michael Chandler and Tony Ferguson have agreed to a match slated for UFC 274. 

Martin noted both fighters are expected to sign the contract soon. 

UFC president Dana White has been working on putting this fight together for some time. He said in January on ESPN+ (h/t Adam Guillen Jr. of MMA Mania) that the company was trying to get Chandler and Ferguson in the Octagon. 

The match has been talked about even before this year. Chandler told Danny Segura of MMA Junkie in October 2020 that Ferguson turned down a fight against him that would have taken place at UFC 254. 

Guillen noted that Ferguson confirmed the bout was offered at that time, but he turned it down upon learning that Chandler would get a bigger payout. 

UFC 274 is expected to be headlined by Charles Oliveira's lightweight title defense against Justin Gaethje. 

Ferguson and Chandler are both in the midst of a rough patch in their careers. El Cucuy has lost three consecutive fights, including a bout with Gaethje for the interim lightweight championship at UFC 249. He won 12 straight matches prior to this losing streak. 

Chandler signed with the UFC in September 2020 after a dominant 10-year run in Bellator. He was 18-5 and won the lightweight championship three times during his Bellator tenure. 

After beating Dan Hooker in his first fight with the UFC, Chandler has lost back-to-back matches against Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title and Gaethje.