MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC 274.
UFC 274 takes place Saturday at Footprint Center in Phoenix. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Charles Oliveira (32-8 MMA, 20-8 UFC)
Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 weigh-ins. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’10” Age: 32 Weight: 155 lbs. Reach: 74″
- Last fight: Submission win over Dustin Poirier (Dec. 11, 2021)
- Camp: Chute Boxe Diego Lima/Gold Team (Brazil)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/muay Thai
- Risk management: Fair
Supplemental info:
+ UFC lightweight champion
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 9 KO victories
+ 20 submission wins
+ 14 first-round finishes
+ Aggressive pace and pressure
+ Improved boxing ability
^ Accurate hooks and uppercuts
+ Solid muay Thai arsenal
^ Dangerous knees and elbows
+ Hard leg kicks
+ Underrated wrestling ability
^ Strong takedowns from the clinch
+ Superb transitional grappler
^ Diverse submission acumen
Justin Gaethje (23-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’11” Age: 33 Weight: 155 lbs. Reach: 70″
- Last fight: Decision win over Michael Chandler (Nov. 6, 2021)
- Camp: ONX Labs (Denver, Co.)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Risk management: Fair
Supplemental info:
+ Former interim UFC lightweight champion
+ WSOF lightweight title
+ NCAA Division 1 All-American wrestler
+ 19 KO victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 9 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Aggressive pace and pressure
+ Improved striking acumen
^ Shifting combos and counters
+ Accurate left hook
+ Hard leg kicks
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Heavy hips and good dirty boxing
+ Strikes well off the break
+ Good wrestling and scrambling ability
Point of interest: Ring of fire
Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler
The main event for UFC 274 features a fantastic lightweight title fight between two men who thrive in the fires of combat.
An offensive marauder who can Thai march forward behind a high guard, Charles Oliveira offers a plethora of problems standing. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt possesses a long, prodding jab that he likes to use to set up right hands and leg kicks.
When feeling in stride, it’s not uncommon to see Oliveira implement some sort of touch-n-go theme, as he seems to have a bit of a hardwiring for catching and pitching punches. The reigning lightweight champion also keeps a solid left hook on a hair-trigger, either deploying it as a countering check or attaching it to the end of combinations.
Sometimes establishing his range through hand trappings and collar ties, Oliveira is quick to find creative elbows and destructive uppercuts that can often change the complexion of a fight at the drop of a dime. The Chute Boxe product is also an active kicker, as I suspect that his body teeps could both pay potential dividends down the stretch and serve as a connecting piece for more guard-manipulating offense.
Nevertheless, Oliveira himself is not beyond getting knocked off course, as his shelling style has traditionally opened him up to body damage and power shots that can pierce around the guard.
Enter Justin Gaethje.
A man who likely owns the most violent and financially fruitful four-fight start in UFC history, Gaethje has proven to be highlight-reel material, win or lose.
Stepping onto the scene as a relentless forward mover, Gaethje naturally embodies the phrase “a bull in a China shop” with his unabashed aggression and hard-wiring to inflict damage. Traditionally doing his best work when initiating attacks, Gaethje will gain his opponent’s respect with hard hooks and crosses, looking to punctuate his presence with crushing uppercuts and leg kicks when appropriate.
Similar to a Spartan behind his shield in a phalanx, Gaethje would lean heavily upon his double-forearm guard, planting and looking to counter with immediacy.
Although Gaethje no longer strictly relies on a shelling defense, the 33-year-old still seems to have an inherent hunger to exchange that can sometimes encourage his aggressiveness (which is arguably reflected in the strikes absorbed department of his statistics).
That said, Gaethje – under the tutelage of longtime coach Trevor Wittman – has shown improvements in his feints, footwork and fundamentals since sustaining back-to-back losses to Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier. And in his fight against Tony Ferguson, Gaethje took things to yet another level in the head movement and counter-striking department, putting together an intelligent process that still incorporates the former interim champion’s inherent power and tenacity.
Whether Gaethje is countering off of an inside parry or looking to roll under hooks to deliver left hands of his own, the hard-hitting American will be live for as long as he can plant his feet. For that reason, I suspect that we’ll see Gaethje shelve some of his patent leg kicks and instead opt for bodywork given the cost of having a kick caught opposite an opportunistic threat like Oliveira.
Point of interest: Protect ya’ neck
Charles Oliveira applies a hold against Michael Chandler during UFC 262 at Toyota Center. (Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)
Given Gaethje’s past shortcomings on the floor, few would be surprised to see Oliveira attempt to exploit any perceived grappling holes this Saturday. But aside from being an