When we previewed UFC 262 earlier this week, we thought the main event would go deeper.
At the end, Charles Oliveira did was Charles Oliveira does best – show up, take your shots, grit it out, overcome adversity, seal the win.
In a scintillating opening round, Michael Chandler looked to be on his way to UFC gold. An early guillotine – deep – almost found its mark. Recovering, Oliveira scrambled to Chandler’s back, looking for a rear-naked choke only for the former Bellator champion’s sheer explosiveness shaking off his Brazilian counterpart.
WHAT A ROUND! 🤩#UFC262 pic.twitter.com/9gWiptPVq1
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) May 16, 2021
Back on his feet, Chandler dominating the remainder of the opening round, Oliveira retaining guard late on to close out the first having been opened with an elbow.
If you thought after the restart that the pace would be any less, you were quickly proven wrong. Barely ten seconds into round two, Oliveira cracked Chandler with a beautiful left hook to send him staggering back against the cage, finishing with a flurry of shots on the ground to earn the stoppage.
In what was one of the wildest title fights in years, this was all action from the opening bell and it continued after the stoppage, Oliveira running through the crowd to celebrate a moment that’s taken some 28 fights in the UFC to arrive at.
With a second-round knockout, @CharlesDoBronxs makes a statement and gets the biggest win of his career! 🇧🇷
He is the new UFC lightweight champion! 🏆
#UFC262 pic.twitter.com/DyNCJHZrRe— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) May 16, 2021
Dariush out-grapples, out-points Ferguson in co-main event
Our predictions, unfortunately for Tony Ferguson, may be running through and his time may be running out.
Needing to bounce back after heavy defeats to Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira, Tony Ferguson looks like he underestimated the skill set of #9 ranked lightweight Beneil Dariush.
Confident moving forward and with an answer for everything on the mat, Dariush dominated Ferguson for all three rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory.
They don't come tougher than Tony Ferguson! 😲#UFC262 pic.twitter.com/SZgCNdCKap
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) May 16, 2021
“We’ll see what happens… time gets us all”, was the only suggestion UFC boss Dana White could offer on Ferguson post-fight when questioned on the former interim champion’s future.
UFC 262 Results
- UFC Lightweight Title Bout: Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler via TKO (0:19, R2)
- Beneil Dariush def. Tony Ferguson via UD (30-27 x3)
- Rogerio Bontorin def. Matt Schnell via UD (30-27 x2, 29-28)
- Katlyn Chookagian def. Viviane Araujo via UD (29-28 x2, 30-27)
- Edson Barboza def. Shane Burgos via TKO (1:16, R3)
- Andre Muniz def. Ronaldo Souza via submission(3:59, R1)
- Lando Vannata def. Mike Grundy via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 30-27)
- Jordan Wright def. Jamie Pickett via TKO (1:04, R1)
- Andrea Lee def. Antonina Shevchenko via submission (4:52, R2)
- Priscila Cachoeira def. Gina Mazany via TKO (4:51, R2)
- Tucker Lutz vs. Kevin Aguilar via UD (30-27, 29-28 x2)
- Christos Giagos def. Sean Soriano via submission (3:59, R2)
