Kevin Vallejos will now be able to call himself a ranked featherweight contender after becoming the first man to knock out Giga Chikadze in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 112.
The first round started fairly quiet, minus a combination from Vallejos that took advantage of a Chikadze slip. The two traded leg kicks, with a nasty gash opening on Chikadze’s left leg thanks to a checked kick.
Chikadze brought out some strong kicks in the second half of round one when he wasn’t held against the fence.
But it was Vallejos that took the fight in round two. With both men near the fence, Vallejos landed a spinning backfist that dropped Chikadze in brutal fashion. He followed that up with some elbow-based ground-and-pound to bring a quick halt to the contest.
Kevin Vallejos Drops Giga Chikadze At UFC Vegas 112
Kevin Vallejos is going to be a top featherweight contender in 2026. What a knockout!!! #UFCVegas112
Vallejos has now won six straight since his sole loss — a defeat to Jean Silva on Dana White’s Contender Series. He is 3-0 in the Octagon since winning a UFC contract in his 2024 DWCS appearance.
Chikadze has now lost three straight and four of his last five. His sole win in that span was defeating Alex Caceres at UFC Singapore in August 2023.
MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming fight cards.
With events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.
Between Monday, January 6, and Sunday, January 12, a few notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, see the links below:
Featherweight contender Arnold Allen returned to the win column at UFC 304, where winning rounds two and three against Giga Chikadze secured him a unanimous decision across all three scorecards.
The fight was a high-level striking contest between the two men in Manchester where Allen was able to show that he can stand with the best strikers at 145-pounds.
Despite everything appearing to be civil between them ahead of fight night, a social media post from Chikadze appeared to stir up some drama.
The Georgian fighter posted on X and accused his opponent of sending spies to his training room.
You can send as many spies as you want in my training room but tmrw night no one will help you in the octagon! #UFC304@ufc
Arnold Allen Addresses ‘Weird’ Spying Allegations And Says He Wouldn’t Need Them
In a recent interview with InsideFighting, Allen spoke about Chikadze’s claims and explained how he believes that his opponent was paranoid.
“Yeah, I don’t know. That guy’s a strange guy man, paranoid I think, I don’t know. I ain’t got no spies and he was like saying there’s English people everywhere and I’m just like what the f*** do you mean there’s English people everywhere? Mate, you’re in Manchester. I was really, I was kind of taken aback. I was confused. I was just like I don’t know what you’re talking about, so yeah, weird. Weird, weird, weird but like, I ain’t got no spies.”
The #5-ranked contender did go on to explain that some fighters that he knew were, at one point, in the same room as Chikadze, as referenced in the social media post.
Allen broke down what actually played out and said that due to Chikadze’s signature style, he wouldn’t need spies to predict his approach because he is such a specialist striker.
“No one was coming and reporting things and telling me anything. A couple of my teammates were working out in the room, in their workout room, and he had someone from his team come and ask them to leave and they did and they didn’t tell me anything. They were just like, ‘Oh yeah he recognized us from like you train at this gym and then they asked us to leave,’ and they left and they didn’t tell me anything so, other than that they got asked to leave. Weird but also like, if I need spies for anyone, he’s the last guy I need spies for. You know what I mean? It’s like I know exactly what you’re going to do. Unless you’re in the back room drilling double legs, I’m not going to be surprised by anything.”
On Saturday night, the mixed martial arts leader returned for its latest pay-per-view event, UFC 304.
For the past week, the promotion has been back in the United Kingdom. Why, then, was I still stating up until 7 AM, UFC? Dana White? Anybody? Pre-warning, I planned to do my best not to selfishly write that as a negative for my fellow Brits and I. Was I successful? No comment.
Regardless of the disappointing timings, nothing was disappointing about the lineup the UFC brought with it across the pond, topped by title defenses for welterweight kingpin Leon Edwards and interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall.
Before Belal Muhammad and Curtis Blaydes looked to bring shouts of ‘and new’ to the Octagon, Paddy Pimblett had his first opportunity at cracking the lightweight rankings against King Green, Arnold Allen attempted to snap his losing skid at the expense of Giga Chikadze, and Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape vied for potential number one contender status at 125 pounds.
Elsewhere, notable British names like Christian Leroy Duncan, Molly McCann, Nathaniel Wood, and Mick Parkin all looked to leave Manchester’s Co-op Live arena with victories. But did they come together to form an entertaining night of fights?
Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 304.
I can’t remember the last time a fight at a UFC PPV event pitted two opponents against one another who quite clearly aren’t up to the standard that should be required for someone to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
Excuse me, I should have said “couldn’t remember,” past tense. I now can remember: Shauna Bannon vs Alice Ardelean.
The Irishwoman arrived in the UFC as a promising prospect last year off the back of a win under the Invicta FC banner. But she flopped on debut, struggling to land any meaningful offense in a decision defeat to Bruna Brasil. Saturday’s opening bout gave her the opportunity to erase the memory of that result with a strong sophomore performance. In that sense, she didn’t exactly succeed.
“Mama B” was tasked with facing a late-notice replacement opponent in Ardelean. The Romanian’s signing raised eyebrows, with most acknowledging her fairly underwhelming record and skillset while suggesting a social media following was the leading cause of her UFC arrival.
The fight was ultimately a close one with about as much quality as the kind of food the fans inside the Co-op Live would have picked up from Manchester kebab shops in the early hours.
Ardelean is certainly not at the level the UFC should require. And given her struggles en route to a lackluster decision win, it’s hard to say that Bannon is.
With an 11 PM start time, the last thing the UK fans needed was a dud to start.
When these two entered the cage, it was perhaps still too early for an in-cage alarm to be required. But Parkin, in particular, sent one ringing around Manchester with a thunderous…forearm?!
Regular readers will know my feeling on the heavyweight division (and the UFC’s habit of placing the likes of Shamil Gaziev in main event spots this year). With that, it’s always a relief to see them early on a card. The home favorite on Saturday night, however, brought feelings of relief for a different reason.
Rather than the feared three-round heavyweight slog, Parkin needed less than four minutes to dispatch Łukasz Brzeski for UFC 304’s first finish. The damage was initially done by a clean overhand right that had “The Bull” on skates. While he survived the onslaught that followed for a time, his panicky evasive manoeuvers ultimately saw his head meet the forearm of Parkin, who had thrown a left hook.
Patterson subsequently gave us the triad of fight results, following Bannon’s decision and Parkin’s knockout with a submission victory over Kiefer Crosbie. Like his compatriot’s work beforehand, “The Future” needed just one round to have his hand raised, locking his Irish opponent in an arm-triangle choke for the quick tap.
The Englishman was highly touted prior to a disappointing debut in London last year. But having now won consecutive fights via first-round submissions, Patterson is well and truly back on the radar as one of the welterweight division’s most promising up-and-comers.
Negative – Wolf Tickets
To those who bought into Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape’s “bitter feud” and expected them to do away with their habit of putting on dull affairs at UFC 304, I’m afraid to say you were conned.
It took just a minute into the fight to see what was happening. After a hotel “brawl,” some “hold me back” energy at the ceremonial weigh-ins, and the apparent attempt to get at each other in the cage pre-fight, Mokaev and Kape stayed at range feinting.
The rest of the fight was predictable from there. And while some have turned their nose up at the scorecards, the rounds were so lackluster and absent of effective offense that I’m not sure there could be any logical fury over whatever the judges were to come out with.
But, we did have a real reason for fury in round two: Mike Beltran.
After getting Kape to the mat for the first time in round two, Mokaev displayed some of the most egregious cheating in recent memory by yanking “Starboy’s” shorts down and giving the cageside guests a view of his backside.
To not take a point is frankly diabolical. Congratulations, Mike, you can shout loud. Would you like a certificate? Why not do something actual consequential and take a point for such a blatant foul?
Not only was no point taken, Beltran wasn’t even going to pause the fight and take the position away from Mokaev until Kape practically spelled it out to him.
Whether it’s eye pokes, fence grabs, or de-clothing your foe, rules do not exist in mixed martial arts. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, why wouldn’t you cheat when such incompetence comes out of the third men inside the Octagon?
Positive – Bruna’s Brutal Body Blows
It was always going to take something special to write a Molly McCann loss in the positive section, but Bruna Brasil gave it to us on Saturday night. In fact, she gave it to us multiple times.
So, what was special, I hear you ask? Bruna’s body shots, that’s what.
The focus pre-fight was all on McCann and how she appeared to have reinvented herself as a strawweight when she submitted Diana Belbiță in her divisional debut this past February. Because of that, an accomplished striker in Brasil was a ridiculously big underdog given the holes we’ve seen in “Meatball’s” game.
But the Brazilian made a mockery of the betting lines in a round one that verged on a 10-8. “The Special One” delivered a relentless attack to the home fighter’s body, drawing out major reactions with a few vicious knees and kicks to the midsection.
While she found less success in rounds two and three en route to a comfortable decision, Brasil’s violent assault of McCann’s body early was enough to leave a lasting impression. And with two wins on UK soil under the UFC banner, perhaps England is her good luck charm.
Just as the early hours began to take their toll and the crowd inside the Co-op Live faded, Paddy Pimblett arrived to wake them up.
It’s been a difficult period for “The Baddy,” who has had his momentum stalled by injuries and a controversial win over Jared Gordon back in late 2022. His subsequent performance against Tony Ferguson did little to stifle his detractors given “El Cucuy’s” age and losing skid.
With that, Pimblett vowed to get the fans back on his side by running through King (still feels odd to write) Green at UFC 304 — a claim not many took seriously. While a win was never going to be a massive shock, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone predicting one-way traffic and a quick finish.
But that is exactly what we got in Manchester, with a composed Pimblett picking Green apart on the feet in the opening exchanges before punishing the American’s bizarre decision to shoot for a takedown.
After Green slipped out of a guillotine, Pimblett locked in a tight triangle choke, adding in an armbar to the equation just as the ranked contender lost consciousness, sending the home fans into a frenzy.
If Pimblett’s three UFC fights in the UK have taught us anything, it’s that he can always be counted on to create an atmosphere. And his latest triumph has certainly taught his doubters that they were wrong to dismiss his chances of earning a number next to his name on MMA’s biggest stage.
If it wasn’t already clear after he starched Sergei Pavlovich in 69 seconds last November to win the “interim” gold, it sure is now after he stopped Curtis Blaydes in just 60. Aspinall’s first clean shot sat “Razor” down, and the American wasn’t unable to show enough defense on the floor to avoid Marc Goddard’s intervention.
With the win, Aspinall not only defended his title but also made the most of his chance to right the wrong from 2022 when a freak knee injury opposite Blaydes handed him his only Octagon setback to date.
So, what’s next for Aspinall? Well, if it’s not a unification fight with Jones, both the former two-time light heavyweight kingpin and the UFC should get significant backlash from the community.
And if Jones does indeed fight Stipe Miocic in a “legacy fight” that will do nothing for his legacy before retiring, his deliberate avoidance of Aspinall will mark a sizable stain on the back end of his career.
Fight the man, Jones.
Negative – Silly
I hate to conclude things with a complaint, but seriously, what was the UFC thinking?
At my desk, I was struggling to stay awake for a hefty chunk of the UFC 304 main card. I can’t even imagine feeling like that while in attendance at the Co-op Live, and it’s no wonder the atmosphere was absent for much of it.
Of course, Paddy Pimblett’s entrance and the memorable wins for him and Tom Aspinall brought out the kind of cheers and reaction expected of a UK crowd. But just before that, Christian Leroy Duncan and Gregory Rodrigues fought out an entertaining and bloody battle amid complete silence.
Post-event, Dana White had the nerve to criticize fighters for not being motivated by the $100,000 bonuses, stating he’ll never raise them under pressure at press conferences ever again. How about never making athletes compete at 3, 4, and 5 AM again? Maybe that had something to do with it?
The likes of Edwards had to compete in the early hours because the idea of American fans watching an event at 4 PM instead of 10 PM was apparently too crazy to entertain. Do better, UFC.
What this guy said 👇
Whose dumb idea was it to have a UFC card at 4 AM in England? Why couldn't they have just pushed this main card up to 7 PM EST United States time? No wonder the crowd is exhausted #UFC304
Topping the lineup will be reigning UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards, who is tasked with getting the better of Belal Muhammad at the second time of trying if he’s to successfully defend his title on home soil once again.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see another English champ in action as interim heavyweight kingpin Tom Aspinall runs it back with Curtis Blaydes. Their second clash comes two years on from an injury rendering the Brit unable to continue after just 15 seconds at the London-held UFC Fight Night in July 2022.
Also set to make the walk on Saturday night will be the likes of lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett and his teammate Molly McCann, another home favorite in Arnold Allen, and the undefeated Muhammad Mokaev.
Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the UFC 304 main card here.
UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 304 (as of 7/27), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Leon Edwards (-265) vs. Belal Muhammad (+215)
Tom Aspinall (-395) vs. Curtis Blaydes (+310)
King Green (-115) vs. Paddy Pimblett (-105)
Christian Leroy Duncan (-135) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (+114)
Arnold Allen (-238) vs. Giga Chikadze (+195)
Preliminary Card:
Nathaniel Wood (-380) vs. Daniel Pineda (+300)
Molly McCann (-345) vs. Bruna Brasil (+275)
Caolán Loughran (-225) vs. Jake Hadley (+185)
Modestas Bukauskas (-155) vs. Marcin Prachnio (+130)
After recording a successful defenses at the expense of Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, “Rocky” will look to settle unfinished business with Belal Muhammad after their 2021 UFC Fight Night headliner ended in a no contest.
Title stakes also come in the co-main event, which will see Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall back in action. He defends the strap he captured with a brutal knockout of Sergei Pavlovich last November in a rematch against Curtis Blaydes.
Elsewhere on the UFC 304 card, Paddy Pimblett gets his first shot at the lightweight rankings opposite King Green, flyweight standouts Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape attempt to stake their claim for a shot at Alexandre Pantoja’s gold, and Arnold Allen plans to get back on track in the featherweight division at the expense of Giga Chikadze.
Ahead of the event, 27 out of the 28 fighters successfully made weight, with Jake Hadley’s one-pound miss of the bantamweight limit marking the sole indiscretion on the scale.
Nevertheless, every fight has remained intact, and all that remained on Friday was for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 304 ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, followed by all the faceoffs!
And the mixed martial arts leader has brought a lineup worthy of the occasion with it across the pond, with two title fights and a host of major undercard bouts set to go down.
Elsewhere on the card, Liverpool native Paddy Pimblett gets his first crack at the rankings opposite King Green, Arnold Allen looks to snap his losing skid at the expense of Giga Chikadze, and top flyweights Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape settle their bad blood in a potential title eliminator at 125 pounds.
UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 Weigh-In Results
UFC 304 takes place Saturday, July 27, at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
See above for a live stream of the UFC 304 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Welterweight Championship Main Event: Leon Edwards (170lbs) vs. Belal Muhammad (169lbs)
Interim Heavyweight Championship Co-Main Event: Tom Aspinall (251lbs) vs. Curtis Blaydes (256lbs)
Lightweight: King Green (154.5lbs) vs. Paddy Pimblett (156lbs)
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan (185lbs) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (185lbs)
Featherweight: Arnold Allen (145lbs) vs. Giga Chikadze (146lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood (145lbs) vs. Daniel Pineda (146lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Molly McCann (116lbs) vs. Bruna Brasil (116lbs)
Bantamweight: Caolán Loughran (136lbs) vs. Jake Hadley (137lbs)*
Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas (204lbs) vs. Marcin Prachnio (205lbs)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Oban Elliott (170lbs) vs. Preston Parsons (169lbs)
Flyweight: Muhammad Mokaev (126lbs) vs. Manel Kape (125.5lbs)
Welterweight: Sam Patterson (170lbs) vs. Kiefer Crosbie (171lbs)
Heavyweight: Mick Parkin (264lbs) vs. Łukasz Brzeski (235lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Shauna Bannon (115lbs) vs. Alice Ardelean (116lbs)
*Jake Hadley missed the bantamweight limit by one pound, fined 20 percent of his purse
The main event will see UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards run it back with Belal Muhammad in defense of his title on home soil. The rematch comes over three years on from their UFC Fight Night headliner in 2021 ending in a no contest.
Also competing with gold on the line will be Manchester’s own Tom Aspinall, who makes a rare defense of an interim title. After capturing the heavyweight belt at the expense of Sergei Pavlovich last November, the Brit will share the cage again with Curtis Blaydes, against whom a serious knee injury saw him suffer his first UFC loss back in 2022.
Elsewhere on the main card, Paddy Pimblett will be back in action for the first time since outpointing Tony Ferguson last December and English featherweight Arnold Allen meets the striking challenge of Georgia’s Giga Chikadze. And earlier in the night, top flyweights Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape are set to battle for a potential title shot.
UFC 304: MMA News Staff Predictions
Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 304 event, Kyle Dimond, Ryan Jarrell, Thomas Albano, and Tyriece Simon have provided their picks for the five major matchups set for Saturday night.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through three cards.
Thomas Albano (12-2)
Tyriece Simon (11-3)
Ryan Jarrell (9-5)
Kyle Dimond (8-6)
Andrew Starc (5-4)
And with that, it’s time for the team’s predictions for UFC 304.
Featherweight: Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze
Images: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: Chikadze is an incredibly dangerous striker but I’m not overly sold yet on his ability to compete with the best in this weight class. Allen, on the other hand, has been tested at that same level, and while he didn’t get his hand raised against Max Holloway or Movsar Evloev, he showed that he’s not far off.
The Brit has more weapons at his disposal and this will likely be key for him in this fight. Allen is a well-polished jack of all trades, but striking with Chikadze is never going to be his best route to victory. “Almighty” is disciplined enough on the feet to avoid getting caught with something massive, and through mixing in his takedowns across 15 minutes, he’ll return to the win column on home soil. (Prediction: Arnold Allen)
Ryan Jarrell: I love watching Chikadze fight. He has a fan-friendly style and can end the fight at any moment with his precise striking. But stylistically, this is a bad matchup for him. Allen is five years younger and much closer to his prime years than the Georgian is. I expect “Almighty” to dictate where the fights takes place and win a decision. (Prediction: Arnold Allen)
Thomas Albano: It’s sad that this fight is not getting the attention that it should, because it is a solid opener for a UK pay-per-view. Allen may be coming off back-to-back losses, but those were his first two defeats in the UFC, and they weren’t bad considering the guys who beat him were Holloway and Evolev. Chikadze, meanwhile, has won all but one of his fights in the Octagon, with three of his last four victories coming from highlight finishes. And his one loss? Calvin Kattar – a solid name at 145 pounds.
Considering both of these guys like to strike and bring powerful pressure, this one should be a fun way to get some early heat going for the main show. Overall, I think Allen is slightly better all-around, and I feel the younger fighter, a TriStar product, will use all of the skills in his toolbox to score a solid decision win. (Prediction: Arnold Allen)
Tyriece Simon: This matchup is my prediction to be the Fight of the Night. Both like to keep the fight on their feet and put on entertaining performances for the fans. Allen comes into the fight on a losing streak, but it was against top competition in Holloway and Evloev. I think “Almighty” will rebound against Chikadze and get back on track in the featherweight division.
The Georgian kickboxer has been out of action for nearly a year and could experience ring rust earlier in the fight. Allen also has notable grappling ability with a 50 percent takedown accuracy. The Brit could give Chikadze issues if he mixes the threat of a takedown and striking to keep his opponent guessing, which Calvin Kattar was able to do. I think Allen will use this game plan to outpace his opponent to win a decision in his home country. (Prediction: Arnold Allen)
Consensus: 4-0 Arnold Allen
Flyweight: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape
Images: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: The fight to potentially decide who the next flyweight title challenger should never be this low on any card. The fight is quite simple in my mind: if Mokaev takes him down and keeps him there, he wins. At the same time, I don’t see a world in which Kape loses the striking battle. I’m not confident that “Starboy” will be able to sharpshoot his way to a win here and can see Mokaev doing everything he can to grab ahold of him. Similar to the Alex Perez fight, I think “The Punisher” stays undefeated in a bit of a cagey contest (apologies for the pun) that goes the distance. (Prediction: Muhammad Mokaev)
Ryan Jarrell: We are going to find out just how good Mokaev is in this fight. One worry I do have when it comes to Kape is his inactivity. He hasn’t been as active as his undefeated opponent has been, and I wonder if that will play a factor in the fight. Mokaev is 6-0 in the UFC and 11-0 overall. He is a very dangerous fighter on the ground, and if the fight hits the mat, I think Kape is in big trouble.
Ultimately, I expect “The Punisher” to avoid the big shots from the dangerous striker and get this fight to the ground in each and every round while cruising to a somewhat boring decision victory. (Prediction: Muhammad Mokaev)
Thomas Albano: It’s awful to see how far this fight has fallen, and it makes you question what is going on behind the scenes. These two are amazing flyweight competitors, and recent events have seen the two of them get into it at the fighter hotel. My prayer at this point is that this is just a random UFC decision to boost prelims and not a weight or contractual concern.
This feels like a traditional grappler vs. striker matchup. Some people on social media have been laying it in on Mokaev, saying he’ll just sit on Kape for 15 minutes and then complain about not being next in line for a title shot. But when you have the wrestling and submission grappling background like he does, and with him knowing that he needs a big performance to convince UFC brass to give him Alexandre Pantoja next, you bet he’s going to look to take Kape down, do damage and find the tap-out as often as possible.
It’s sad various issues have prevented us from seeing all that we could of Kape in the Octagon. His punches helped lead him to a title in RIZIN, and he has the ability to test Mokaev’s chin in this one. But it feels like “The Punisher” will be ready for what Kape is going to bring from his hands – or that “Starboy” may be underestimating the grappling abilities of Mokaev, likely leading to a submission for the Brit. (Prediction: Muhammad Mokaev)
Tyriece Simon: I’m really excited about this fight, as the winner could be next in line for a title opportunity. Mokaev has leaned on his grappling ability to dominate his opponents for most of his UFC career. I believe he will have the same game plan against Kape. “Starboy” has good takedown defense, but I think he’ll have difficulty dealing with Mokaev’s grappling. Another problem can be how the weight cut will affect the former Rizin bantamweight champion. He has missed weight in the past, including a recent issue that led to his rematch against Matheus Nicolau being canceled earlier this year.
If he successfully makes weight for his fight against Mokaev, I believe Kape’s cardio might be affected by the multiple takedowns he’ll have to defend. I have “The Punisher” dominating the Angola-born Portuguese flyweight en route to either a finish or a decision victory. (Prediction: Muhammad Mokaev)
Consensus: 4-0 Muhammad Mokaev
Lightweight: King Green vs. Paddy Pimblett
Images: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: This, along with the co-main event, is the toughest one to call for me. Pimblett has the size, power, and finishing ability to bully Green early on and overwhelm him. The issue with this is that Green is an excellent matador, and we’ve seen him time and time again just dance his way around the Octagon and light opponents up with his fast hands. “The Baddy” can be caught, but for me, it’s whether he’s able to smother Green quick enough to avoid getting tagged repeatedly. Pimblett has to make this ugly. I can see him getting his hand raised via submission in round two, but not without blood coming out of his nose first. (Prediction: Paddy Pimblett)
Ryan Jarrell: The trash talk leading into this fight will be so much fun. I expect the fight to deliver as well. We are going to find out a lot about Pimblett in the contest. Green is a tough matchup and his unusual striking could be problematic for “The Baddy.” The last person to submit Green was David Mitchell in 2009. It would be a huge feather in Pimblett’s cap to do it at UFC 304.
I don’t expect the Liverpool native to get the submission, but his best chance to win this fight is to take it to the ground and keep Green on his back. I think Pimblett will do it enough to win a close decision over the American. (Prediction: Paddy Pimblett)
Thomas Albano: After turning away a former UFC lightweight champion who is a shell of his former self in Ferguson, Pimblett now gets another step up in competition when he takes on Green. The veteran may be past his prime, but the fact he is still winning fights and staying competitive with notable contenders at 155 pounds should give him nothing short of praise. And after a controversial win over Jared Gordon in December 2022, and not seeing him again until a win (by decision, not finish, mind you) against Ferguson in December 2023, Pimblett is going to need a big performance on the British stage.
The keys to victory for this one should bring us a typical striker vs. grappler battle. Green should look to be himself, landing powerful shots – mixing them up between distance and the pocket – and defending any of Pimblett’s takedown attempts. “The Baddy,” meanwhile, should look to do some damage to make it easier to get the fight to the ground, where he has the best chance of winning. As Pimblett is the younger fighter with better movement and more upward trajectory, I’m going to side with him. But this is going to be a tall order. He needs to be locked in on fight night to put on the kind of showing that can get him back on track toward a spot in the lightweight rankings. (Prediction: Paddy Pimblett)
Tyriece Simon: Pimblett enters the fight confident that he’ll get past Green and join the lightweight rankings. He had an impressive performance over Tony Ferguson at UFC 296 last year, but most agree that “El Cucuy” isn’t the same fighter he once was. Regardless, he showed improvement in his striking and was able to outland the former interim champ. Green presents a different challenge as he has demonstrated that he is still there or thereabouts in his fighting prime and will have an overwhelming advantage on the feet.
Pimblett has had issues absorbing too many strikes and has been stunned in past fights. Green’s speed, punching power, and accuracy will be brutal for the Liverpudlian. The veteran does also boast 74 percent takedown defense accuracy, making the matchup more difficult for Pimblett. I’m unsure if Green will finish “The Baddy,” but he can outwork the fan favorite to a decision. (Prediction: King Green)
Consensus: 3-1 Paddy Pimblett
Interim UFC Heavyweight Title: Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes
Images: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: I agree with the “interim” heavyweight champion that Blaydes is the toughest stylistic match-up for him in the heavyweight division. Aspinall will be too quick for him on the feet but the issue with that is the Brit is not a distance striker. He tends to stun heavyweights by reaching them with strikes by exploding into range when they think they’re outside it. To do that against “Razor” puts him in constant danger of running into a big shot or a takedown.
I think this fight will test Aspinall. He will have difficult moments, but he’s a very smart grappler who should be able to keep himself safe if the fight hits the floor. As Blaydes’ gas tank begins to wear, I think Aspinall might build into it and get stronger. Every round starts standing, and as we’ve seen many times, the interim champion only needs a minute to find the winning punch. I expect him to find it in round three. (Prediction: Tom Aspinall)
Ryan Jarrell: Unlike the main event, this is a rematch that I am very excited about. The first fight ended the way that none of us wanted it to. Luckily enough for us, we get a rematch when both fighters are still smack in the middle of their primes. I am a huge fan of Blaydes, but unfortunately for him, he has to face the best heavyweight (in my opinion) of today’s generation. Aspinall is as well rounded as it gets, and I would be extremely surprised if he doesn’t dominate this fight and end it by way of knockout early, if not in the very first round. (Prediction: Tom Aspinall)
Thomas Albano: Like the headliners for this pay-per-view, Aspinall and Blaydes have their own form of unfinished business. We barely got to see any of their first contest, with Aspinall tearing his MCL mere seconds into the fight. Prior to his injury, the Englishman was one of the best prospects rising the ranks the UFC had, and his momentum has not stopped since returning a year ago. Aspinall used his explosive power and finishing ability, turning it into an interim title win at UFC 295. In fact, considering the ongoings of Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic, some might consider Aspinall the true champion of the UFC’s heavyweight division. But before Aspinall can look toward bigger aspirations of being undisputed champion, he has to get through the only man, injury or not, that holds a win over him in the Octagon.
Just like his fellow Chicago-born UFC title challenger at UFC 304 in Belal Muhammad, Blaydes’ wrestling is his key to victory. Though “Razor” holds devastating power like Aspinall, he also has a wrestling pedigree, holding the UFC heavyweight record for most takedowns in a fight. Like some of his previous performances, the finish of Aspinall would best come on the ground. That said, it’s going to be easier said than done against the interim champ, who will look to keep distance and land his powerful punching from there. The power may be just too much for Blaydes in this one, as Aspinall continues to be the face of the UFC’s heavyweight division – whether or not Jones is the undisputed king. (Prediction: Tom Aspinall)
Tyriece Simon: Fans should expect Aspinall to come into this matchup extra motivated to avenge his defeat to Blaydes. Their first fight lasted 15 seconds, with the interim champion injuring his knee after stepping back from landing a leg kick. I believe the fight will give fans more of a decisive winner without any doubt about who the better fighter is. That is why I lean toward Aspinall being victorious in his home country.
I think the Brit has the advantage if the fight stays standing with good head movement and hand speed. Blaydes has not relied on his grappling lately, showing his striking has improved. He also shared that he doesn’t intend to change his gameplan for the rematch, so I expect him to want to stand in front of Aspinall for a knockout. I think Blaydes’ strategy benefits Aspinall for counters that could put the challenger in trouble. If “Razor” utilizes his grappling, it could swing the momentum in his favor. But I think Blaydes will feel confident standing with the interim champion, and I believe Aspinall will catch him for a knockout. (Prediction: Tom Aspinall)
Consensus: 4-0 Tom Aspinall
UFC Welterweight Title: Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad
Images: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: Muhammad has been on a great run, but having seen Edwards deal with wrestling specialists in the past, it’s hard to see how he wins this fight. If he is able to land takedowns, I’m not sure he’ll be able to keep “Rocky” down, land damage, and do that for enough rounds to win a decision. The champion has shown that he’s excellent at chipping away at opponents without leaving himself open for being taken down, and when the likes of Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington have closed the gap on him, he’s been more than happy to test his grappling against theirs.
Like many, I’m not expecting a particularly exhilarating fight, but the welterweight title is staying in England by way of a decision. (Prediction: Leon Edwards)
Ryan Jarrell: This is a rematch a lot of people are eagerly anticipating. I am not one of those people. I thoroughly expect Edwards to stuff takedowns and keep this fight where he wants it (on the feet) and cruise to a decision victory. The reigning welterweight champion is the better fighter, and as long as his takedown defense holds up, there is no way he loses this fight. (Prediction: Leon Edwards)
Thomas Albano: For as much as some people may not be a fan of this matchup, it always proves to be interesting when thinking about two guys who come into a bout on the kinds of win streaks like Edwards and Muhammad. “Rocky” hasn’t lost since 2015, winning the welterweight title in the spectacular fashion as he did and turning away Kamaru Usman (in a trilogy fight) and Colby Covington last year. Muhammad, meanwhile, is unbeaten since 2019. The only time neither guy hasn’t come out on top in those spans was when they fought each other to a no contest in 2021. Now, it’s time for unfinished business to be settled.
Though Muhammad’s wrestling hasn’t won him the most fans, it’s won him most of his fights. It’s the key to his success. He should look for the takedown, keep the fight on the ground, and look to overwhelm Edwards with a variety of attacks and keep him pinned to the floor. That, however, will be easier said than done when the champ has made strides in his own grappling abilities over the years. Combine that with Edwards’ kickboxing and he is just the overall more well-rounded fighter. Edwards won the sole round scored when they faced off in 2021, and perhaps that’s how this fight plays out. (Prediction: Leon Edwards)
Tyriece Simon: Edwards and Muhammad are coming into the matchup in phenomenal shape for their long-awaited rematch. In their first fight from 2021, “Rocky” overwhelmed his rival in the first round. I think Edwards has gotten better and has the skillset to give Muhammad a formidable challenge to overcome. Both like to outwork their opponents by mixing up their striking and grappling for dominant decision wins.
The Brit does have the reach advantage to utilize his jab to keep Muhammad on the outside. UFC analytics also shows that Muhammad absorbs more significant strikes than Edwards, which could be a factor as he tries to get on the inside for a takedown attempt. If the challenger gets on the inside, Edwards has good takedown defense, making putting him on the ground difficult. Fans should also expect sharp elbows from the champion if they engage in the clinch position. This fight can lean either way, but I believe Edwards will outpoint Muhammad to retain his title. (Prediction: Leon Edwards)
Consensus: 4-0 Leon Edwards
That’ll do it for our UFC 304 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the full UFC 304 card below.
Main Card:
Welterweight Championship Main Event: Leon Edwards (C) vs. Belal Muhammad
Interim Heavyweight Championship Co-Main Event: Tom Aspinall (IC) vs. Curtis Blaydes
Lightweight: King Green vs. Paddy Pimblett
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Gregory Rodrigues
Featherweight: Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze
Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood vs. Daniel Pineda
Women’s Strawweight: Molly McCann vs. Bruna Brasil
Bantamweight: Caolán Loughran vs. Jake Hadley
Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas vs. Marcin Prachnio
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Oban Elliott vs. Preston Parsons
Flyweight: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape
Welterweight: Sam Patterson vs. Kiefer Crosbie
Heavyweight: Mick Parkin vs. Łukasz Brzeski
Women’s Strawweight: Shauna Bannon vs. Alice Ardelean
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 304!
But having returned successfully in Singapore last August and defended his spot in the top 10 at 145 pounds against Alex Caceres, “Ninja” has his sights back on those above him in the pecking order in pursuit of a title clash with Ilia Topuria.
And when it comes to the July 27 matchup and any other bout for him in the division, Dariush sees Chikadze at his best as a step above the competition…
Dariush Speaks Highly Of Fellow Kings MMA Standout Chikadze, Including His Grappling
During episode two of the UFC 304 Embedded: Vlog Series, Chikadze can be seen putting in the work alongside lightweight contender Beneil Dariush over at Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, California.
Speaking to the camera, Dariush praised not just Chikadze’s well-known striking, but also his ever-improving grappling game. And with those developments in mind, the veteran 155lber sees the Georgian as featherweight’s top fighter when he’s firing on all cylinders.
“It’s obvious to see how great his striking is, right? But I think the place he’s improved the most is his grappling. I think there’s been a shift in Giga’s mindset,” Dariush said. “His game is just, it’s changed so much since his days in kickboxing. When Giga’s on, he’s the best in the world. We’re gonna show up (at UFC 304) and we’re make sure he’s on.”
With that in mind, perhaps Allen — who is coming off a wrestling-heavy defeat to Movsar Evloev — isn’t in for the preferred striking battle he’s after and has preached about in the lead-up to UFC 304.
Having slipped from title contention with consecutive losses, Allen will no doubt be hoping to deliver a similar statement display on home soil this weekend.
The last time @ArnoldBFA fought in the UK, THIS HAPPENED 😱
While focused on his own assignment at UFC 304, welterweight champion Leon Edwards recently assessed a few other notable matchups set for July 27.
Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion will head back across the pond toward the end of this month, visiting an English city other than London for the first time since pre-pandemic.
“Rocky” is expecting both him and the interim heavyweight kingpin to emerge with the gold still in their possession. And his support of fellow countrymen goes beyond just his fellow champ…
Edwards Backs Aspinall, Pimblett, Allen To Join Him As Home Winners In Manchester
During a recent interview with talkSPORT MMA, Edwards looked ahead to his upcoming Octagon outing, which comes 16 months on from his previous home fight in England’s capital.
After analyzing his main event showdown with Muhammad for the welterweight gold, “Rocky” had his attention turned to some of the other notable bouts set to play out in Manchester featuring his compatriots.
That included the other champion with whom he’s sharing the poster, interim heavyweight titleholder Aspinall.
“I pick Tom for the win,” Edwards said. “Obviously (Curtis) Blaydes is a solid opponent; great wrestling, good boxing as well. But I feel like Tom is just like, for heavyweight, quite fast and moves well on his feet. So yeah, I favor Tom for the win.”
Edwards’ next pick came with a self-admitted bias, as he backed fellow Team Renegade standout Arnold Allen to bounce back from his widely debated setback against Movsar Evloev this past January in Canada.
“I’ve got Arnold (against Giga Chikadze). He’s my training partner, you know?” Edwards noted. “I know how hard he works in the gym and just how good he is. He’s looking good now in training camp, so I’ve got Arnold.”
“That’s a good one,” Edwards said, pondering more than his previous predictions. “I’ll go Paddy. I’ll go all-British through here. I’ll go Paddy but I feel like Bobby’s a dangerous fight for him. Probably his toughest test.”
Come fight night, Edwards will no doubt be more concerned about his prediction for his own fight against Muhammad coming to fruition.
While his first two defenses against Usman and Covington went to the scorecards, the Jamaican-born Brit is vowing to finish “Remember the Name” before the championship rounds when they run it back later this month.
While the aftermath of the June 29 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the light heavyweight title picture to the 170-pound championship conversation.
At UFC 304, set for the newly built Co-op Live in Manchester, England, on July 27, reigning welterweight kingpin Leon Edwards will make the walk for the first time this year, making his third defense of the gold in a rematch against Belal Muhammad.
There will also be title stakes between familiar opponents in the co-headliner, as interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall runs it back with Curtis Blaydes two years on from his devastating knee injury opposite “Razor” just 15 seconds into their UFC Fight Night main event in London.
Pimblett, Mokaev, Allen Set The Stage For Title Headliners At UFC 304
Before Edwards and Aspinall defend their championships on home soil in the main and co-main events, respectively, a number of other high-profile Brits will take to the Octagon looking to make the post of their position on the major card.
That includes up-and-coming lightweight Paddy Pimblett, who gets his toughest test to date in the form of the #15-ranked Bobby Green. After extending his unbeaten UFC record to 5-0 by getting the better of Tony Ferguson, the Liverpool native has the chance to break through into the top 15 against “King,” who most recently outpointed Jim Miller on the milestone UFC 300 card this past April.
Prior to that, Dagestan-born Brit Muhammad Mokaev will look to stake his claim for a first shot at the flyweight gold when he meets former Rizin champion Manel Kape. “The Young Punisher” most recently edged past ex-title challenger Alex Perez at the Apex in March. “Starboy,” meanwhile, hasn’t competed since a victory at UFC 293 in Sydney last September, with a weight miss and injury subsequently scrapping his two scheduled rematches with Matheus Nicolau this year.
Another local favorite will open the main card, with Ipswich native Arnold Allen looking to get back on track. Following a valiant effort in defeat against Max Holloway in Kansas City last April, “Almighty” fell on the wrong side of a tight and debated decision opposite Movsar Evloev at UFC 297 in Toronto, Canada, this past January. To bounce back, Allen must halt the resurgence of striking specialist Giga Chikadze, who most recently returned to winning ways at the expense of Alex Caceres in Singapore last August.
See below for the full UFC 304 card, as it stands.
Main Card:
Leon Edwards (C) vs. Belal Muhammad (welterweight championship main event)
Tom Aspinall (C) vs. Curtis Blaydes (interim heavyweight championship co-main event)
Bobby Green vs. Paddy Pimblett (lightweight)
Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape (flyweight)
Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze (featherweight)
Preliminary Card:
Nathaniel Wood vs. Daniel Pineda (featherweight)
Molly McCann vs. Bruna Brasil (women’s strawweight)
Caolán Loughran vs. Ramon Tavares (bantamweight)
Mick Parkin vs. Łukasz Brzeski (heavyweight)
Early Preliminary Card:
Oban Elliott vs. Preston Parsons (welterweight)
Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Gregory Rodrigues (middleweight)
Sam Patterson vs. Kiefer Crosbie (welterweight)
Shauna Bannon vs. Ravena Oliveira (women’s strawweight)
Modestas Bukauskas vs. Marcin Prachnio (light heavyweight)
Despite their recent social media banter, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski didn’t even consider Giga Chikadze a potential next opponent.
Chikadze fell to Calvin Kattar at UFC Vegas 46 via unanimous decision and left the Octagon bloodied and battered by Kattar’s boxing. He had won nine straight fights entering the bout.
Volkanovski was supposed to face Max Holloway for his next title defense before Holloway pulled out due to an injury. Chikadze had been one of the first featherweight contenders who threw his name into the conversation after news broke of Holloway’s withdrawal.
Volkanovski and the UFC opted to give Chan Sung Jung, otherwise known as ‘The Korean Zombie’, the next title shot as a replacement. This irked Chikadze and created quite the tension between him and the champion.
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Volkanovski revealed whether or not he would’ve considered facing Chikadze next if he got the better of Kattar.
“Mate, to be honest, when he was carrying (I thought) not only does he have to win to even start talking, you know, let’s try and get out of that fight unscathed before you even ask, but then, I still don’t think he’d deserve it,” Volkanovski said. “Remember, he’s ranked #8. He was ranked #8 and he was fighting #5… He’s so surprised that I’m fighting Zombie; these guys (contenders for the title shot) are ranked higher than him, (and) were gonna be ranked higher than him even if he won. It just doesn’t make sense. Yeah you’ve got a winning streak, but let’s fight some contenders, let’s fight some top guys, and you did and look what happened.”
In the buildup to UFC Vegas 46, Chikadze blasted Volkanovski as a “chump” and alluded to losing respect for the 145-pound champion. After his loss to Kattar, he’ll likely need to go on another winning streak to get back into the featherweight title discussion.
If Volkanovski beats Jung, the UFC will more than likely attempt to book the Holloway trilogy again. For now, it appears that Chikadze is a long way off from getting a title shot against Volkanovski.
Do you think we’ll ever see Alexander Volkanovski vs. Giga Chikadze?
UFC featherweight contender Calvin Kattar has responded to Giga Chikadze’s claim that he’d beat “The Boston Finisher” nine times out of 10.
For Chikadze, the one exception came in the opening UFC main event of 2022 this past weekend. “Ninja” faced top-five 145lber Kattar in what was the Methuen native’s first appearance since his brutal defeat to Max Holloway last January.
Despite having a tough and proven name who represented the biggest challenge of his career to date in front of him, a lot of Chikadze’s focus and attention during fight week appeared to be elsewhere. After Alexander Volkanovski was left needing a challenger to his title after the withdrawal of Holloway, the Georgian threw his name into the hat and repeatedly accused the champion of running from him.
“I feel like if I would fight with this guy 10 times, 9 I would win,” Chikadze said. “That would be the one I would lose and that was last night. It is what it is. I made mistake and I’m paying now with it. It’s all good. Guys, I’m unbreakable. Remember this shit, Georgians always unbreakable. This is how we fight, until the fucking end.”
Kattar Responds With Class
Hearing those comments from a man you’ve just beaten the face off for 25 minutes would understandably elicit a strong response from most members of the UFC roster. But for Kattar, the only response was class.
During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Kattar said he hadn’t taken Chikadze’s comments personally. Instead, the #5-ranked featherweight wished his fallen opponent a quick recovery and encouraged the Georgian to handle the loss well.
“No, no, it’s different when you hear people in person in interviews, but I don’t take it personal, man,” said Kattar. “It’s whatever, you know, wish him a speedy recovery, bounce back. I told him all you can do now is make the next guy pay. That’s exactly what I did. And hopefully, he responds to the loss well. It doesn’t sound like it’s going that way early, but hopefully he just understand that—honestly he can understand whatever he wants. For me, it helped me to just focus on the things that I can control and focus on the comeback but not so much really the last one.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYrkHx7PerX/
Having rebounded in style following a year away from the Octagon, Kattar will now look to continue his charge to the title, which was stalled by Holloway in 2021. Next up on his road to the top will likely be either Yair Rodriguez or Brian Ortega, who are coming off losses to the top-two featherweights in the division.
What did you make of Giga Chikadze’s comments after his loss to Calvin Kattar?
When “The Korean Zombie” was touted as the likely candidate to face the champion next, Chikadze claimed he’d lost respect for the champion and even suggested Volkanovksi would be his easiest opponent inside the 145-pound top 10. But through all that talk, one man is being forgotten: Calvin Kattar.
With the result, Kattar shot back towards contention and stalled the surging rise of Chikadze, who was previously riding high off the back of a main event win against Edson Barboza.
But while many had expected “Ninja” to move past Kattar and stake his claim for a title shot, the message from fans and pundits since Saturday’s headliner has been: Don’t look past what’s in front of you. That message had already been said loud and clear at UFC Vegas 46 media day last Wednesday.
After asserting that Chikadze’s focus on gold and exchanges with the titleholder had no effect on him, Kattar warned the #8-ranked contender that setting his sights on anyone other than him would be a “big mistake.”
“No, not one bit man. I can’t really control that, so I try not to put too much energy into it. Only thing I can control is me and my opponent Saturday night. For him to be focusing on anybody else would be a big mistake,” Kattar said.
Given the state of Chikadze’s face after 25 minutes of action, it’s safe to say Kattar’s warning was well placed…
While his toughness has never been in doubt, Kattar certainly had his title credentials and place among the featherweight elite questioned following his defeat on Fight Island last year. But at UFC Vegas 46, “The Boston Finisher” answered those questions with sharp elbows and crisp punches.
With a relieving rebound win after a year away from action, Kattar will now look to carry his momentum into another big fight, perhaps this time against a fellow top-five contender. Two men currently stand out as possible next opponents.
Brian Ortega was the last man to challenge for the title and could provide a thrilling matchup with Kattar. While he’d be looking to rebound and stay in the title conversation, the Methuen native would hope to book a date with the champ by defeating the two-time title challenger
Yair Rodriguez is also in a similar situation. He returned last November and despite performing well against Holloway, he missed out on the chance to challenge Volkanovski after a narrow defeat on the scorecards. With both losing to Holloway in 2021, a clash between Kattar and Rodriguez makes sense.
Who would you like to see Calvin Kattar face next?
Giga Chikadze’s confidence remains intact after his brutal defeat to Calvin Kattar last Saturday at UFC Vegas 46.
At UFC Vegas 46, Calvin Kattar showed his resilience by rebounding from the year-opening card of last year that saw him take a savage beating from Max Holloway. This time, it was him dishing out the beating across five rounds to kick off the year, with Chikadze’s face at the conclusion of the bout telling the tale of how the fight transpired.
Giga Chikadze
Seeing as how, prior to UFC Vegas 46, Chikadze was vocal about fighting Alexander Volkanovski for the title next, including preemptively requesting to replace Max Holloway against him this spring, many people thought this was a humbling experience for Chikadze.
One notable person to react to Chikadze’s loss was Chan Sung Jung, aka “The Korean Zombie,” who was ultimately chosen to replace Holloway for the featherweight title fight in a move that Chikadze criticized as Volkanovski selecting the easy fight. After Chikadze’s loss on Saturday, Jung hit him with the ol’ face-palm emoji on social media.
Chikadze would issue the following statement in response to the criticism he received immediately following the fight and also addressed The Korean Zombie’s reaction to his defeat.
Thank you my real supporters! I love you all and owe you speed comeback. Lot of fake people around, but it’s okay. Also fuck you Korean Zombie! Be happy with someone’s (loss) you cheap fuck,” Chikadze wrote.
Giga Chikadze would have much more to say later in a Facebook Live after the fight. The Georgian chalked the loss up to an error on his part and vowed to return after making the necessary adjustments.
“It is what it is,” Chikadze said on Facebook Live. “It was not my day, but it’s okay. Sometimes it happens, shit. It was a good fight. My opponent showed up good. I made mistake…
“I’m gonna recover a little bit, guys. I know you guys are following my journey, and this is a part of the journey. When I signed up for the sport, I knew this was a part (of it). I fucked up last night, but it’s all good. It’s a journey. I’m learning from this, and next time, I’m gonna come back so much stronger. I already feel bad for my future opponents. I’m gonna learn a lot from this one; trust me on that.”
Chikadze also displayed the same confidence about a future matchup against Kattar that he had coming into their UFC Vegas 46 bout. In fact, the Georgian would imply that Kattar’s victory Saturday was tantamount to a fluke based on him chalking the loss up to a mistake and considering his assessment of how a 10-fight series between them would play out.
“I feel like if I would fight with this guy 10 times, 9 I would win,” Chikadze said. “That would be the one I would lose and that was last night. It is what it is. I made mistake and I’m paying now with it. It’s all good. Guys, I’m unbreakable. Remember this shit, Georgians always unbreakable. This is how we fight, until the fucking end.”
What are your thoughts on Giga Chikadze’s comments following UFC Vegas 46?
UFC President Dana White thinks the public counted out Calvin Kattar ahead of his main event bout against Giga Chikadze.
Kattar walked away with a unanimous decision win over Chikadze on Saturday night, clearing scorecards after a brawl against a fellow ranked featherweight. The win saw him emerge as the better striker, hurting Chikadze with a high volume of shots.
This impressive showing from Kattar came after a week where Chikadze was viewed by many as the expected winner. He was even in discussion to step in on short notice to replace Max Holloway in a title fight against Alexander Volkanovski.
White feels that people didn’t give Kattar enough of a chance before the fight. He discussed how we have seen Kattar’s toughness in his previous appearance and how he has proven himself before.
“It’s almost like everybody forgot about Calvin Kattar and [his fight against] Max Holloway. Everybody counted him out tonight. I thought that the spinning elbow he landed changed the fight. I think that first round wrestling tired them out,” said White, speaking at the post-fight press conference on Saturday.
“They just dug in and went to war … [Kattar] kept constant pressure on him. He stayed in his face. He kept him moving backwards. It looked like Giga was out of it halfway through the second round.”
White: Kattar’s Layoff Helped Him
The win on Saturday night was Kattar’s first appearance in nearly a year. He was fighting for the first time in 364 days, appearing for the first time since he was on the losing side of a dominant performance by Max Holloway.
White thought the extensive break for Kattar worked in his favor because of how his last fight went.
“I think after that fight he had with Max [Holloway], you gotta take a year off. I think you have to … He absolutely, positively needed to take that time off,” said White.
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the result of Calvin Kattar’s unanimous decision victory over Giga Chikadze at UFC Vegas 46.
Calvin Kattar def. Giga Chikadze via Unannimous Decision At UFC Vegas 46
In the first UFC card of the year, the main event saw Calvin Kattar kick off the 2022 season with a victory in contrast to last year’s loss to Max Holloway that began 2021. It was Kattar’s pace, jabwork, and cage generalship that helped deliver the following official scorecards from the judges:
If you missed any of the action, you can catch the results and highlights from UFC Vegas 46 here. You can also see how the fighters reacted to the Kattar/Chikadze main event here.
What about the Pulse of MMA? How did they react to the main event results? You can peep the raw reactions down below!
Calvin Kattar just gave Giga Chikadze the same beating that Max Holloway gave him. Pretty big way to put your career right back on track
Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze was a worthy main event. The two fighters met in a bout on Saturday night (January 15, 2022) at the UFC Vegas 46 event from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility.
An interesting start as Giga actually slipped and Calvin dove on top of him. Calvin worked him over with strikes from half guard. Giga did give up his back, but didn’t let him lock the rear-naked choke fully in. The second round was wild as both fighters hurt each other.
Calvin was putting together jabs and combos. Giga had a nice combo that included a head kick. Calvin did get a brief takedown to end the round. The third and fourth rounds saw them strike it out as Calvin was pushing forward and both were bloody.
At the end of round four, Calvin hurt him at the end of the round, but Giga survived. Calvin continued to put it on him and dropped him at the end of the round enroute to a decision win.
Let’s see how the fighters reacted to the outcome of this fight:
Kattar entered this fight after dropping a decision loss to Max Holloway in January 2021. Before that he had picked =up a decision win over Dan Ige in July 2020 and a TKO win over Jeremy Stephens at the UFC 249 pay-per-view event from Jacksonville, Florida at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. This was prior to him dropping a decision loss to Zabit Magomedsharipov at the UFC Moscow event and then Kattar blitzed Ricardo Lamas his way to victory at the UFC 238 pay-per-view event from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois where he won by TKO.
Chikadze was on a nine-fight winning streak heading into this bout including a TKO win over Edson Barboza in August 2021, decision wins over Irwin Rivera and Omar Morales. His previous fights saw him beat Jamey Simmons by TKO in November 2020 and Cub Swanson in May 2021 by TKO.
Seven months ago, a frustrated Giga Chikadze vented about Yair Rodriguez, his featherweight peers, and the UFC ranking system. Tonight at UFC Vegas 46, the #8-ranked Chikadze will have the type of opportunities he was fighting for last year when he takes on the #5-ranked Calvin Kattar.
The following article is presented in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JUNE 25, 2021, 11:00 AM]
Headline:Giga Chikadze Blasts Rodriguez, FW Top 10, & The UFC Rankings System
You could say that Giga Chikadze is just a tiny bit miffed at his UFC featherweight peers.
You could say that, but it would be more accurate to say that he has reached peak frustration at his inability to land an opponent inside the top 10. After winning his eighth consecutive fight at UFC Fight Night: Reyes vs. Procházka, Chikadze was eager to step back inside the Octagon for a high-profile fight.
He offered to jump in for short-notice fights on multiple occasions, as this has been a proven path up the ladder for many UFC fighters in the past, with Kevin Holland perhaps being the best recent example of this. Nevertheless, whether it’s been a short-notice pitch, a public callout, or a proposal submitted through the appropriate channels, Chikadze has remained on the sidelines despite his best efforts.
Failure To Land Yair Rodriguez Fight Sends Chikadze Over The Edge
Most recently, Chikadze tried to step in as a short-notice replacement for the July 17 Fight Night main event against Yair Rodriguez after Rodriguez’s original opponent, Max Holloway, was forced to withdraw from the fight.
Chikadze had already expressed his frustrations when Rodriguez was allegedly nonresponsive to the UFC’s offer, and now that Rodriguez has officially been removed from the card, the Georgian is letting out the rest of his anger through the media since he hasn’t been able to do so in the cage.
“They called me to replace Max, and I was happy to step in,” Chikadze told MMA Fighting. “I don’t know how this guy is gonna stay ranked No. 3 if he don’t agree on the fight cause he hasn’t fought for a long time and look at me. I had like five, six fights in the same time. I don’t know what’s going to happen.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
“It’s not surprising from (Rodriguez), because he’s been doing this for not only me but for other fighters. With Zabit [Magomedsharipov], he turned him down four times and after USADA violation and the UFC cut his contract, cut him from the UFC. I’m really upset on one thing. This guy is not ranked No. 3 [in the UFC rankings], that’s the only thing. I feel like my name should be higher.”
There is a common argument that has been used against fighters who are in Chikdadze’s current position of a fighter looking to make a significant move up the rankings, which is that they haven’t beaten a big enough opponent to earn a marquee fight. During his diatribe, Chikadze was sure to point out the flaw in this logic.
“Everyone is talking about my opponents, how I beat non-ranked opponents,” Chikadze said. “This and that and Cub Swanson was older age and stuff but how am I going to prove these guys wrong if nobody fights me from the top 10? Who should I fight?
Giga Chikadze
“I’ve been calling out pretty much everybody. Arnold Allen, Edson Barboza, Calvin Kattar, Max, Yair, whoever don’t have a fight, [The Korean Zombie] now, it would be great fights. But nobody really accepted. Now the champion [Alexander Volkanovski] has a fight with Brian Ortega and whoever is available, everybody is not picking up the phone.”
Giga Chikadze referenced other fighters who have gone through similar struggles to find big fights while climbing the rankings, notably Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kamaru Usman. Usually, having something in common with these UFC greats would be a high honor, but in this case, it’s a grave annoyance for the #10-ranked featherweight.
Coincidentally, Chikadze shares the same manager as Usman and Nurmagomedov, Ali Abdelaziz. Eventually, Abdelaziz was able to land both eventual champions the fights that got them to the title, so he is definitely a good man to have on your side when faced with a booking crisis.
When it comes to his featherweight peers, however, Chikadze has lost all faith in their commitment to being what he deems to be a true fighter.
“I don’t have an answer how these guys are top-ranked fighters today,” Chikadze said. “Back in the day when a fighter was a real fighter and he was in the ranking, he was going to fight anybody. You would [fight] anybody, quality guys and I’m a quality guy. I’m top 10. I was last year the most busiest guy and I proved to anyone already. I want my main event fight.”
What do you think? Does Giga Chikadze have a legitimate gripe?
The weigh-in results for UFC Vegas 46 are in, and every fighter made weight, clearing the way for the first UFC card of 2022!
Saturday, January 15, 2022, UFC Vegas 46 will take place inside the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. The weigh-in results have all wrapped up and we’ll have those results to you shortly. But first, here’s a glimpse at the main event in store for fight fans tomorrow night.
Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze Preview
Calvin Kattar will once again be one of the two lead-off men to kick off the year for the UFC. Last year at UFC on ABC 1, Kattar faced Max Holloway and lost via unanimous decision. Despite the amount of punishment he took in the fight, Kattar says he would love to have a round 6 against “Blessed,” who Kattar believes to be the uncrowned champion of the featherweight division. But before then, he’ll have to deal with a “Ninja” by the name of Giga Chikadze.
Holloway was scheduled to have the opportunity to become re-crowned in a trilogy fight against Alexander Volkanovski, but he had to withdraw from the bout due to injury. Many names volunteered to replace Holloway, perhaps none louder than Chikadze, but Kattar did not join the list because he is eager to earn such opportunities by getting back in the win column following his one-sided loss to Holloway last year.
Calvin Kattar is ranked #5 in the featherweight division and has a professional record of 22-5. He is currently 0-2 in UFC main events, losing to Zabit Magomedsharipov via unanimous decision in 2019. However, both main events against Holloway and Magomedsharipov won Fight of the Night.
Giga Chikadze is currently ranked #8 at featherweight and is 14-2 as an MMA pro. He has won nine consecutive fights, and this will be his second consecutive main event. The last main event was his TKO victory over Edson Barboza last August in what earned him Performance of the Night.
You can catch the final face-off between tomorrow’s headliners below.
A 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂 featherweight fight is set for your first main event of 2022 🔥@CalvinKattar takes on @Giga_Chikadze 𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓!
UFC Vegas 46: Kattar vs. Chikadze Weigh-In Results
UFC Vegas 46 kicks off exclusively on ESPN+ at 5PM ET, 2PM PT. The main card will be simulcast on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ starting at 7PM ET, 4PM PT.
You can view the entire weigh-in results and lineup below, courtesy of UFC.com.
UFC Vegas 46 MAIN CARD (7:00 PM ET ESPN/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+)
Main Event – Featherweight Bout: Calvin Kattar (146) vs Giga Chikadze (146)
UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze isn’t expecting anything less than a title shot if he gets an impressive win over Calvin Kattar.
Chikadze has surged to the top of the featherweight division with seven-straight wins since signing with the UFC in 2019. He most recently earned arguably the most impressive win of his career over former lightweight standout Edson Barboza at UFC Vegas 35.
Following each of his past two wins, Chikadze has called out some of the best fighters in the UFC, including former featherweight king Max Holloway. While he didn’t end up getting a fight with Holloway next, he faces a tough test against another solid contender in Kattar tomorrow night.
During an interview with MMA Junkie, Chikadze made his intentions perfectly clear for his upcoming fight, and where it could put him in the featherweight title picture.
“They’ve been talking about this, and I get it, but this fight already happened twice,” Chikadze said. “So I could pass this and just ask for a title (shot), but I want to fight someone from the top five, and Calvin Kattar’s name came. I think that was the only guy who wasn’t busy, and ‘Zombie’ (Chan Sung Jung) was injured, so I picked Kattar, and now we have him for January.”
“I’ve been saying this for a long time, and people didn’t believe it before,” Chikadze continued. “Now finally they’re starting to believe it. I’m the people’s champ. I can beat anyone in the featherweight division in the world, and I feel it’s time, and it’s time to make it all official.”
Chikadze and Kattar will go to battle in the main event of UFC Vegas 46 in Las Vegas, NV. The winner of the bout could also potentially serve as the backup fighter to Volkanovski/Zombie, which goes down at UFC 273 in April.
Chikadze’s kickboxing has proven to be one of the most dangerous skillsets in the 145-pound division. If he’s able to keep up his positive momentum, he could be holding the title sooner rather than later.
Do you think Giga Chikadze is a future UFC featherweight champion?
UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze is looking to prove that he’s not just an elite striker but also a well-rounded mixed martial artist.
Chikadze faces arguably the toughest test of his UFC career against Calvin Kattar at UFC Vegas 46. While Kattar is coming off of a tough loss to Max Holloway last year, he’s still regarded as one of the toughest brawlers in the featherweight division.
Chikadze knocked out the always-dangerous Edson Barboza in his last Octagon appearance but also showcased an improved grappling skillset in the win. He nearly had Barboza in trouble on the ground before transitioning back to his striking base.
“I feel like he’s going to mix it up with a bit of the wrestling,” Chikadze said. “I think that’s going to be his plan because he is from a wrestling background. Then he has some nice boxing techniques. Either he’s going to box with me, or he’s gonna wrestle with me.
“Honestly, I really want to show the people how great my ground game became. I want to submit people eventually, very soon, and start submitting people. But because Calvin Kattar has never been knocked out, it gives me a little bit more motivation to finish him with striking.”
Chikadze later explained why he moved away from his grappling in his last victory over Barboza.
“Last time I really had the chance to finish Edson with submission, but like I said, I had to prove that I’m the best striker and this was the reason why I let it go. This time? I said that I’m the best boxer in the UFC too, so probably I’m gonna still go more to the strikes. But if I get a chance like I did with Edson, this time I’m not going to let it go.”
Chikadze could be one win away from a featherweight title shot after going back-and-forth on social media with Alexander Volkanovski. If he’s able to continue to improve his overall game, he could be an unstoppable force at 145 pounds for years to come.
What is your prediction for Giga Chikadze vs. Calvin Kattar?
After dispatching Edson Barboza with ease last August, “Ninja” has his chance to rise closer to contention in the UFC Vegas 46 headliner on Saturday night. But Chikadze, along with many in the MMA community, believes a victory should bring more than a rank rise. They think it should take the Georgian all the way to Volkanovski.
After the champ made his desire to face fan-favorite brawler Korean Zombie known, the UFC has seemingly moved his next defense back to UFC 273 and added Jung to the contest, per Ariel Helwani.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, Chikadze reacted to Zombie becoming the frontrunner for the replacement opportunity. According to the in-form Georgian, Volkanovski is avoiding him because he knows “Ninja” is the biggest threat to his reign.
In contrast, Chikadze sees Volkanovski as the easiest opponent for him inside the featherweight top 10.
“100% (Zombie fight) is easier. It’s (an) easier task for them, for Volkanovski,” said Chikadze. “I’ve been fighting these type of guys all my life and making my life with that. He knows that I’m, for him, the hardest and strongest fight. That’s why he’s trying to avoid me. I understand he wants to stay safe and make money and this, but I’m here to become the champion.
“Honestly, for me, I think that’s the easiest fight in the top 10, bro. This guy cannot even reach me. When we stand together, what’s he gonna do? Some guys have a good submission (game), some guys have a good punch or a good technique, what does he have against me? Nothing.”
Unfortunately for Chikadze and his fans, it appears the UFC has moved forward with plans for Volkanovski vs. Korean Zombie. Nevertheless, if the Tbilisi native puts in an impressive performance this weekend and perhaps becomes the first man to finish Kattar in the UFC, he’ll be a hard man to deny when it comes to the next shot at gold.
Do you think Giga Chikadze deserves a title shot over The Korean Zombie?
UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze is no longer a fan of Alexander Volkanovski after recent tensions between the two top 145 pounders.
Chikadze had called for the next title shot against Volkanovski after the champion’s original UFC 272 opponent, Max Holloway, pulled out with an injury. Volkanovski and the UFC opted to go with Chan Sung Jung, otherwise known as ‘The Korean Zombie’, as a replacement.
Chikadze volunteered to make a quick turnaround from his upcoming fight to fill in against Volkanovski, but the UFC had other plans.
“Absolutely, yeah,” Chikadze said. “Before that, I kind of messaged him after his last fight, I congratulated him,” said Chikadze. “Brother, this (Volkanovski’s response to me on Twitter) is a cheap move for me to see. He messages me, he tweeted that I’m fighting a top five or something, and like, I lost a lot of respect for him. And plus, bro, I’m not here for respect and all this stuff. No friends for me. These guys, I’m here to take over everybody, smash, you know, I don’t need extra friends here. I feel like these people are trying to take my dreams, so I’m gonna fight them.”
Giga Chikadze Could Be On The Verge Of A Bout With Volkanovski
Chikadze will face Calvin Kattar in a second straight main event at UFC Vegas 46 this weekend. In his last fight, he put on a dominant performance over Edson Barboza and ended up earning TKO victory.
Chikadze has long been considered by many to be the dark horse of the featherweight division. After losing out on a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, he’s won nine fights in a row over the likes of Cub Swanson, Omar Morales, and Barboza. For these reasons, Dana White allegedly told Chikadze that he’s close to earning the next shot. Another impressive win over Kattar is the first step to making that happen.
How do you think a Giga Chikadze vs. Alexander Volkanovski fight would play out?
When Max Holloway was pulled from his title fight against Alexander Volkanovski, the MMA community suggested many names to step in and replace him. This included former bantamweight champ Henry Cejudo, The Korean Zombie (who ended up getting the title fight), and Giga Chikadze. Wait. Chikadze, the guy who is set to fight Calvin Kattar in just a few days? Yes, him.
Amidst the need to find a new opponent for Volkanovski, many forgot—or likely chose to ignore—that Chikadze had a main event fight booked already. And it’s not that Calvin Kattar, his opponent, isn’t a good fighter. Instead, it’s that many believe Chikadze is a big name for the featherweight division that is already able to get a title shot.
That anecdote alone describes what people see in Chikadze. Still undefeated in the UFC, every win puts him closer to a title fight. This weekend, Chikadze is scheduled to compete in his second UFC “Fight Night” headlining bout when facing Kattar.
A win this weekend would give Chikadze an incredibly strong résumé. He has already won seven fights in the UFC, and his past three have all come via finish. The case could be made that it doesn’t even matter the method for how Chikadze wins this weekend. As long as he wins, he’d have the best background out of any potential contender at 145 pounds.
Kattar Provides Another Strong Challenge
Giga Chikadze, Calvin Kattar
It could certainly be argued that Chikadze shouldn’t get a title fight right now. Right now, the names ahead of him (Holloway and Zombie) still have a stronger case for a title shot. But a win this weekend could put him next in line.
Think of it this way: A win for Chikadze would likely put him up to the #5 spot in the division, where Kattar currently resides. This position would make him the highest-ranked fighter who has yet to get a title fight and yet to lose to someone else in the top five. Everyone else in the rankings at that point has either lost a title fight or lost to one of their neighboring featherweights in the rankings.
Chikadze had a solid opponent last time around in Edson Barboza. Kattar offers another good challenge for him. While Kattar is coming off an early 2021 loss against Holloway, he has notable wins against names like Dan Ige and Jeremy Stephens and is no stranger to a five-round fight. Saturday’s bout will mark the fourth time that Kattar has headlined a UFC card.
But Not So Fast…
MMA Fighting
Unfortunately for Chikadze, a win this weekend doesn’t guarantee anything. No matter who wins in the Volkanovski and Zombie fight in April, the winner will likely get a fight with Holloway, as he was in the title picture before an injury got into the mix. Going off that assumption, Chikadze will have two options later this year. One option is he will take another fight, risking the chance of losing his position in the division. The other option is he will sit out, possibly benching himself for months upon end. It’s not unrealistic to say that Chikadze could have to fight one more time after this before a title shot. He may be in a tough position here, but it’s not the fault of anyone involved, really.
Everything is going the right way for Chikadze as a fighter. And as it stands currently, everything indicates that it will continue to be that way. It wouldn’t be a shock if a title shot is in his near future. However, how near that future really is, it’s quite hard to determine right now.
Where do you think Giga Chikadze would sit in the featherweight division if he wins this weekend?
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