sport news UFC 274 best fights to watch outside of Justin Gaethje vs Charles Oliveira on ...

sport news UFC 274 best fights to watch outside of Justin Gaethje vs Charles Oliveira on ...
sport news UFC 274 best fights to watch outside of Justin Gaethje vs Charles Oliveira on ...

Justin Gaethje's highly-anticipated title challenge against Charles Oliveira tops the UFC 274 billing but there are plenty of other brilliant match-ups. 

Rose Namajunas' co-main event strawweight title fight with Carla Esparza is a classic striker versus grappler encounter, while Tony Ferguson is a huge underdog against Michael Chandler. 

Elsewhere, Danny Roberts is the British interest on the card and Sportsmail has taken a closer look at the must-see fights outside of the main event this weekend... 

Charles Oliveira holds the UFC Lightweight title

Justin Gaethje will bid to become champion at 155lbs

Charles Oliveira (L) fights Justin Gaethje (right) on Saturday in the main event at UFC 274

Rose Namajunas vs Carla Esparza Strawweight title fight 

Carla Esparza is the wrestling queen of the women's strawweight division and holds the record for takedowns (42).

Her control time of almost 55 minutes is 10 minutes longer than her closest rival and Namajunas will have been working hard on the mats to prepare for this one. 

The winner of this one will be tied alongside Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the most wins in division history so there is plenty on the line. 

Namajunas was sensational in beating Zhang Weili twice and her opponents are more reputable than Esparza's. 

Rose Namajunas became UFC strawweight champion by devastating Zhang Weili

Rose Namajunas became UFC strawweight champion by devastating Zhang Weili

Namajunas finished Weili in their first fight and fought to a decision in the second

Namajunas finished Weili in their first fight and fought to a decision in the second 

That said, the challenger is on a five-fight winning streak and fully deserves her shot at the belt. These two fought for the first time in 2014 and Esparza won by rear-naked choke. 

Of course, both women have come a long way since then but the basic premise of the fight remains the same. 

If Namajunas can stay upright and make this a stand-up battle, she has more than enough skill to coast to a decision or find a finish. 

But Esparza is an elite wrestler and will look to dominate on the ground - if she can take the champion down and keep her there, chances are there will be a new strawweight champion on Saturday night.  

Esparza is a brilliant grappler and will be looking to take down Namajunas

Esparza is a brilliant grappler and will be looking to take down Namajunas 

Michael Chandler vs Tony Ferguson

'The people's main event', as it is being called. Can Tony Ferguson stop his career sliding ever further into the mire?

His stock was at an all-time high at the start of the pandemic before it all came crashing down.

That decision not to wait for Khabib Nurmagomedov and instead face Gaethje might prove the ruining of him. He's never been the same since. 

Gaethje put a horrible beating on 'El Cucuy' and since then, he's suffered defeats by Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush. 

There's no shame in losing to Oliveira, who has since proven his class as a worthy champion and Dariush can give anyone a rough night. 

Ferguson has lost his last three fights and is in need of a win to get his career back on track

Ferguson has lost his last three fights and is in need of a win to get his career back on track

Ferguson has never quite looked the same since his defeat by Gaethje

Ferguson has never quite looked the same since his defeat by Gaethje  

But it was the manner of those losses that have been so concerning. Ferguson has looked a shell of himself and the murmurs that he should retire will grow louder if Chandler can put him away. 

The former Bellator champion is also in desperate need of a victory. 

Having lost to Oliveira and then Gaethje, a win over the 38-year-old is a must if he has aspirations of a money fight with Conor McGregor or another tilt at the title. 

Chandler is a heavy favourite and matches up well on

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