Giga Chikadze is confident … or cocky, depending on your perspective.
The streaking featherweight contender, now ranked No. 8 at 145 pounds after running over Edson Barboza last August, believes his skill set is superior to both division champion Alex Volkanovski and former titleholder Max Holloway.
But “Blessed” is likely to be the easier fight.
“I think Max would be an even easier fight for me,” Chikadze told Submission Radio. “I know the weakness of Max more. I didn’t really study much Alex. I mean, he’s such short fighter, I’m gonna have a lot of advantages. This is what I believe. I know a lot of people are gonna say this and that, but I think that’s a great match-up for me.”
After losing back-to-back fights to Volkanovski — the second of which was not without controversy — Holloway blasted his way back into the win column with his UFC on ABC snuff film against featherweight bruiser Calvin Kattar.
Steamrolling Yair Rodriguez at the promotion’s upcoming “Fight Night” event in November could be enough to grant “Blessed” another crack at the 145-pound crown, soon to be up for grabs when Volkanovski defends against Brian Ortega at UFC 266 in Las Vegas.
Chikadze has other ideas.
“I believe Max needs to fight me to go to the title shot next time,” the Georgian “Ninja” said. “No one really wants to see Max and Alex fight again and again and again. I have a seven-fight win streak, very busy guy with the fights. People want to see this fight. He said he’s the best boxer, right? I know I’m the best striker. So, this fight is going to be a standing fight, and I guarantee you when the fight finishes he will be walking with crutches.”
A lot of that going around these days.