By Josh Lynnes
HOUSTON, TX – The UFC lightweight division looks to get out of the shadow on former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov as they taking center stage tonight at the Toyota Center in Houston for UFC 262. In the main event fourth ranked Michael Chandler challenges third ranked lightweight, submission king Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title. Fan favorite former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson looks to get back to his winning ways as he battles division stalwart Beneil Dariush in the co-main event.
Chandler rides a 3-fight win streak into tonight’s title bout, finishing all three fights in the first round including his UFC debut over Dan Hooker. Oliveira, who holds the UFC record for submission victories comes into this fight having won 8 straight with seven finishes.
Fifth ranked Ferguson is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career. Dariush, ranked ninth, enters this fight on a 6-fight win streak that includes 4 finishes.
Other fights on the main card include a bantamweight contest between ranked flyweights, number eight Matt Schnell and ninth ranked Rogerio Bontorin. (Bontorin missed weight and will forfeit 20% of his purse to Schnell) In the women’s flyweight division second ranked Katlyn Chookagian looks to hold off a surging ninth ranked Viviane Araujo. Number nine featherweight Shane Burgos looks to get back to his winning ways as he faces thirteenth ranked striking legend Edson Barboza.
Prelims on ESPN include Brazilian Jiu Jitsu legend Jacare Souza taking on Andre Muniz in a middleweight bout. Lando Vannata moves down a weight class to make his featherweight debut versus Mike Grundy. Jordan Wright and Jaime Pickett look to get back in the win column as the battle at middleweight. Ninth ranked women’s flyweight Antonina Shevchenko will battle number eleven Andrea Lee.
Early prelims on UFC Fight Pass include a lightweight match-up between Christos Giagos and Sean Soriano. At featherweight it’s a battle of Dana White’s Contender series alums as Kevin Aguilar faces Tucker Lutz. Gina Mazany faces Pricilla Cachoeira in a women’s flyweight bout.
Early prelims start at 5:30PM CDT on the UFC’s streaming platform UFC Fight Pass. Action then shifts to ESPN at 7:00PM followed by the pay-per-view at 9:00PM on ESPN+ PPV.
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