There was little surprise when Dana White announced Michael Chandler as one of two Performance of the Night bonus winners at UFC 274.
Chandler’s showdown with Tony Ferguson had been hotly anticipated ever since it had been announced. And the fight lived up to expectations for as long as it lasted. Ferguson started strong, hurting the former Bellator champ, and looking like the “El Cucuy” of old. Then, early in the second, Chandler unleashed a front kick that had enough force to seemingly rearrange Ferguson’s facial features.
The kick felt more akin to a standing soccer kick than anything else. Ferguson face-planted, Chandler had the walk-off KO, and one of two $50,000 Performance of the Night bonuses. The other went to Andrei Filaho, who scored his second win in the UFC in three fights this year — and also booked his next fight.
Fialho smoked promotional newcomer Cameron VanCamp on the preliminary card, in a late addition to the Phoenix-based event. Afterwards, he convinced Dana White to add him to UFC 275 in Singapore on June 11.
Fight of the Night at UFC 274 went to flyweights Brandon Royval and Matt Schnell. The past-paced affair saw plenty of scrambles and transitions on the ground, before Royval locked up a guillotine choke.
All four bonus-winning fighters earn $50,000 for their efforts. Attendance at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ was 17,232 for a gate of $6.13 million.
