Michael Chandler and his signing with the UFC after spending years under the Bellator MMA banner was one of the biggest stories in mixed martial arts last year. With his signing came a lot of questions, particularly surrounding who would be welcoming him into the Octagon for his first fight.
Chandler, a willing competitor who wanted to jump into the deep end of the lightweight division shortly after his arrival, had a short list of names he thought would be perfect candidates to meet him and at the top of said list was Tony Ferguson. Chandler had a specific reason for wanting Ferguson first, which he further explained in a recent interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN.