UFC lightweight Tony Ferguson took a shot at title challenger Michael Chandler at the UFC 262 pre-fight press conference, saying that the former Bellator world champion dodged him and didn’t earn his shot at the UFC lightweight belt.
It all started when Chandler was asked about his road to the belt and the UFC, and how he feels that everything worked out perfectly to this point in his career. Ferguson interrupted and accused Chandler of not wanting a fight with him.
“You fucking dodged me Chandler, you’re a bitch,” Ferguson said. “You said no and got this shit handed to you, you got Dana White privilege.”
Chandler won his UFC debut in spectacular fashion at UFC 257 with a first-round knockout over Dan Hooker. Ferguson has lost back-to-back fights including the interim lightweight title bout against Justin Gaethje at UFC 249.
Charles Oliveira earned a fight with Chandler for the UFC lightweight title after dominating Ferguson at UFC 256, showcasing his superior grappling skills and creativity on the feet.
Chandler signed with the UFC following a highly-decorated run in Bellator, including earning the lightweight belt in the promotion twice. This includes wins over former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson, and top contenders Patricky Pitbull and Goiti Yamauchi.
Ferguson will battle Beneil Dariush at UFC 262 in the co-main event of the card. Dariush has been on a roll over the past year with six straight victories.
Depending on how both the co-main and main events go on Saturday at UFC 262, a potential matchup between Chandler and Ferguson could be extremely intriguing. Both fighters are known for their toughness in the octagon and could produce fireworks in a title fight.
What do you think about a potential figure battle between Michael Chandler and Tony Ferguson? What are your fight predictions for UFC 262?