Tag: giga chikadze

Giga Chikadze Makes Hard Push To Fight Cerrone On Saturday (Updated)

UPDATE: Donald Cerrone has been booked to face Alex Morono at UFC Vegas 26. Get the details right here. An unexpected opponent in Giga Chikadze is the latest foe to try to step in and take on Donald Cerrone on short notice. Following more unexpected ne…

UPDATE: Donald Cerrone has been booked to face Alex Morono at UFC Vegas 26. Get the details right here. An unexpected opponent in Giga Chikadze is the latest foe to try to step in and take on Donald Cerrone on short notice. Following more unexpected news, it was reported that The Ultimate Fighter season 1 […]

Giga Chikadze Wants Yair Rodriguez Next If Max Holloway Fight Stalls

Giga ChikadzeGiga Chikadze is rising in a hurry in the UFC’s featherweight division after his TKO win via liver kick over Cub Swanson at UFC Vegas 25. After calling out Max Holloway during his post-fight interview, Chikadze now says he’s open to a fight with Yair Rodriguez if his initial wishes don’t materialize. “I think that […]

Giga Chikadze

Giga Chikadze is rising in a hurry in the UFC’s featherweight division after his TKO win via liver kick over Cub Swanson at UFC Vegas 25.

After calling out Max Holloway during his post-fight interview, Chikadze now says he’s open to a fight with Yair Rodriguez if his initial wishes don’t materialize.

“I think that will be a real ninja fight,” Chikadze said during his post-fight presser when asked about Rodriguez as a potential opponent. “I would love this fight, and plus, he’s been pulling out of fights for the last few times, and I’m not that dangerous.”

After an impressive win over Swanson this past Saturday, it’s no surprise that the talented Georgian wants a bigger challenge right away if he wants to eventually compete for the featherweight belt. Rodriguez is currently not scheduled to fight in the UFC’s upcoming events, but that could change after Chikadze’s mentioning of him. Rodriguez is currently serving a six-month USADA suspension due to a whereabouts violation.

Chikadze and Rodriguez also share a lot of similarities from a style perspective. Both featherweights are heavily combative on the feet, particularly with body kicks and low kicks. There’s no question that this would be a fan-friendly bout to watch; whether it’s on a UFC Fight Night card or on an upcoming pay-per-view.

Rodriguez hasn’t competed since his unanimous decision win over Jeremy Stephens at UFC on ESPN 6 in Boston. He was rumored on multiple occasions to compete against Zabit Magomedsharipov for his next fight, but the scheduled bout was cancelled on multiple occasions in 2020.

Chikadze has also entertained future bouts with Calvin Kattar and Alexander Volkanovski, to name a few. First, he’ll need at least another win over a top contender like Rodriguez to emerge in the featherweight title picture.

Chikadze has won six straight to begin his UFC career after first emerging from Dana White‘s Contender Series in 2018. Regardless of who Chikadze’s next opponent will be, it’s sure to be another barn burner for fans to be excited about.

What are your thoughts on Giga Chikadze’s recent win over Cub Swanson and a potential matchup with Yair Rodriguez?

Giga Chikadze Calls For Max Holloway Or Calvin Kattar Following Win Over Cub Swanson

ChikadzeGiga Chikadze is targeting the big names now. Chikadze earned the biggest win of his career after a liver kick earned him a first-round TKO win over featherweight veteran Cub Swanson in the UFC Vegas 25 co-headliner last night. It put the Georgian on a six-fight winning streak in the UFC and he feels he […]

Chikadze

Giga Chikadze is targeting the big names now.

Chikadze earned the biggest win of his career after a liver kick earned him a first-round TKO win over featherweight veteran Cub Swanson in the UFC Vegas 25 co-headliner last night.

It put the Georgian on a six-fight winning streak in the UFC and he feels he is now ready for the elite 145-pounders. That was evident when he called for fights with former champion Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar.

“I was in Georgia when Max fought Calvin,” Chikadze said at the post-fight press conference (via MMA Junkie). “I was doing commentary for the fight, and I enjoyed this fight, and every time he was doing something nice I was like, ‘I want to fight him. I want to fight him.’

“I feel like after this type of performance, I might get it – if not, then I might get (Kattar).”

In reality, it’s highly unlikely Chikadze gets either of them as he is still unranked while Swanson wasn’t a ranked opponent either. However, if he continues to keep winning and finish people like he’s done in his last two fights, it’ll only be a matter of time.

As for the liver kick he landed on Swanson? That’s something he’s become accustomed to for a while now.

“I’ve been in this moment many times with my kick,” Chikadze added. “My liver kick – my ‘Giga kick’ – this type of kick that you hurt somebody but they’re still not unconscious, they still feel everything and they can see it. It kind of blocks your body to do everything.

“I’ve been doing this in karate and kickboxing and I’ve had this type of experience every time. When I felt that, I realized I had already won the fight. I saw what the referee was doing and because he did’t stop me I continued just to make him think that it’s over.”

What do you think of Chikadze’s chances against the elite?

Giga Chikadze Willing & Eager To Main Event Next Week On Short Notice

It sure sounds like Giga Chikadze is chomping at the bit to get right back inside the Octagon and lay a licking on another featherweight victim next week. Giga Chikadze is pretty much floating thus far in his two-year UFC career. Yet to taste defeat, t…

It sure sounds like Giga Chikadze is chomping at the bit to get right back inside the Octagon and lay a licking on another featherweight victim next week. Giga Chikadze is pretty much floating thus far in his two-year UFC career. Yet to taste defeat, this Georgian is a very impressive 6-0 in the promotion […]

Giga Chikadze Stops Cub Swanson With First Round Liver Kick – UFC Vegas 25 Highlights

Chikadze#14 UFC featherweight contender, Giga Chikadze may have just lodged the most high-profile win of his professional mixed martial arts career — stopping veteran, Cub Swanson with an opening round liver kick. Extending his undefeated streak to six-fights in the Octagon, Chikadze managed to land a stiff liver kick on Swanson with just over a […]

Chikadze

#14 UFC featherweight contender, Giga Chikadze may have just lodged the most high-profile win of his professional mixed martial arts career — stopping veteran, Cub Swanson with an opening round liver kick.

Extending his undefeated streak to six-fights in the Octagon, Chikadze managed to land a stiff liver kick on Swanson with just over a minute elasped in the first round, drawing a noticable reaction from division staple, Swanson. Eventually dropping to his knees, Swanson was met by a flurry of ground strikes from the Georgian — with referee, Jason Herzog calling a halt to the action.

During his post-fight interview with UFC lightweight contender, Paul Felder, Chikadze voiced his interest in a showdown against former featherweight champion, Max Holloway. And if not the Hawaiian next, Chikadze suggested a pairing against New England Cartel feature, Calvin Kattar.

Check out Chikadze’s massive body kick win over Swanson below.

UFC Vegas 25 Highlights: Giga Chikadze Folds Cub Swanson

Giga Chikadze vs. Cub Swanson didn’t last long.  The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (May 1, 2021) at the UFC Vegas 25 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. Chikadze landed a kick to the liver of Swanson and folded Cu…

Giga Chikadze vs. Cub Swanson didn’t last long.  The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (May 1, 2021) at the UFC Vegas 25 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. Chikadze landed a kick to the liver of Swanson and folded Cub then swarmed him on the ground with […]