Dana White reacts to Michael Chandler knocking out Tony Ferguson at UFC 274

UFC President Dana White has given his take on Michael Chandler’s scintillating knockout win over Tony Ferguson.

When Chandler vs. Ferguson was first announced, fans expected violence. The two have been known for biting down on their mouthpieces and going to war. Their clash at UFC 274 was no exception and it ended in brutal fashion.

After some wild action on the feet, Chandler took “El Cucuy” to the ground. Ferguson showed flashes of the old Tony, slicing Chandler from the bottom with elbows. Chandler had a receipt for him, however, cutting him with one of his own strikes.

The fight returned to the feet and what happened next was stunning. Michael Chandler landed a picture-perfect front kick to the jaw of Tony Ferguson, knocking him out cold.

UFC President Dana White reacted to the jaw-dropping finish during the UFC 274 post-fight press conference (h/t Aaron Bronsteter).

White says tonight was not a make or break for Tony Ferguson and says that he looked "damn good" in the first round, but feels Tony needs to take some time off after that knockout.

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 8, 2022

White feels like Chandler vs. McGregor would be a fun fight, but that Conor is hurt and not ready to come back, so they won't explore potential opponents for him until he is ready.

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 8, 2022

“White says tonight was not a make or break for Tony Ferguson and says that he looked ‘damn good’ in the first round, but feels Tony needs to take some time off after that knockout.

“White feels like Chandler vs. McGregor would be a fun fight, but that Conor is hurt and not ready to come back, so they won’t explore potential opponents for him until he is ready.”

This was a huge win for Chandler, who had dropped his last two fights. Going into his bout with “El Cucuy,” Chandler was 1-2 under the UFC banner.

With his highlight-reel knockout over Ferguson, Chandler has earned his second “Performance of the Night” bonus. UFC fans have quickly embraced the crowd-pleasing style that Bellator fans had grown accustomed to with “Iron.”

What’s next for Chandler remains to be seen but given his history, chances are his next outing will be a banger.