Giga Chikadze vs Calvin Kattar: Don't Bury Kattar Prematurely

On the night of January 16, the next UFC league tournament will occur. In the primary fight of the evening, Giga Chikadze will face Calvin Qatar. The contest will be held in the featherweight category. Chikadze ranks eighth in the official ranking of UFC contenders, Kattar is fifth.

When Chikadze appeared in the UFC (September 2019), hardly anybody believed in him. Not much to get excited about - just a Georgian, needed to expand the fans’ geography. His first league fights were mediocre. Giga was winning by split judges’ decisions. The pattern continued until the end of 2020, and then something happened. Chikadze changed out of all recognition, remembering his karateka past. He obliterated his rivals, winning the last three fights by knockout. After that, the fighter secured a place in the top 15 featherweight division and got the right to lead the first UFC tournament in 2022.

Giga Chikadze had his last fight in August against the legendary Edson Barboza. Giga ended up the first round with a victory as he competently threw punches keeping Barboza at a distance. The second one fell to the more active opponent. After a neat knee strike, Barbosa slowed down, missed a streak of powerful dashes with Chikadze hands, failed to win in ground fighting, and was finished off.

I will make it into the title bout with this victory. I think I could throw fists just for the title of a fight with Kattar. There is no one in the division to fight for the belt now. I’ve heard rumours that Max might be the next contender, but he’s already fought Volkanovski twice. In general, I could have refused this fight and immediately asked for the title bout, but first, I wanted to challenge someone from the top 5, and I was offered Kattar. I have long called myself the best division fighter, though they doubted me. People are starting to believe in me. I am the people’s champion. I can beat any featherweight and the world champions, and now it’s time to make it official. I will deal with Kattar, and then I top the division.

Giga Chikadze

Kattar held its last fight in January 2021 against Max Holloway and lost devastatingly on points. It was a world title shot, and Max set up many league records back then. Holloway performed 445 stout blows in that fight, which is a UFC record. Previously, the fighters never achieved more than 400 such blows at halves. Holloway also has a record for the number of blows to the head – 274 and the body – 117.

It’s hard to say how Kelvin will return to the cage a year after such a defeat, but his finisher skills will not disappear just like that, for sure.

Kattar is a good fighter. He has basic wrestling skills, and he’s good at punching. I see that this guy has a right fighting spirit. He does not give up and always goes forward. He wants to square up with me. He mentioned I said something about his last fight. The whole world was talking about your last fight, fella. It’s funny because I commented on his bout live on Georgian television, and I was on his side. I wanted him to beat Max.

Giga Chikadze

It is extremely tough for me to pick sides. The only thing is clear – it will be the standing fight, Kattar will press, and Chikadze will throw fists at a distance. Perhaps, the bookmakers are right, considering the Georgian fighter the favourite. Still, I bet that Kelvin did not waste time in vain and became more assertive and innovative for the past year. He understands that defeat will be the beginning of the end and make a duel spectacular.

In a nutshell, the odds are 50/50. Therefore I will choose the victory of an American.