Giga Chikadze is using some words from the boss as motivation.
This Saturday night, Giga Chikadze will be facing arguably the toughest test yet of his UFC career when he fights Calvin Kattar in the main event of UFC Vegas 46. Coming into this match-up, Chikadze feels he is close to a title shot and, with a win, will surely be campaigning for one. And he will be walking into the Octagon with some motivation he received from UFC President Dana White.
“I even had a quick chat with Dana since I was at the P.I.,” Chikadze told MMA Junkie. “We had some interactions there. He said, ‘You’re right there. Handle your business and then we’ll talk after.’ (I have) even more motivation from that, I guess.”
Chikadze is coming into this bout with Kattar having won every fight he has had in the UFC. He made his promotional debut in Sept. 2019 and has been working his way up to the top. His last three wins were all TKO victories, and each earned him a performance bonus. He is now ranked eighth in the division. And with a victory over Kattar this Saturday, he should find himself ranked in the top five.
“I just want to warn everybody that I have a fight this weekend,” Chikadze said. “I’ll be knocking out people that no one would believe I was going to knock them out – in a minute, in a striking way, in this, in that. I just want them to open their eyes and watch this weekend very well, and after this make a decision. I’m just concentrating to perform the best I’ve ever been.”
Kattar is not an easy opponent for anyone. He is coming off a loss against former champion Max Holloway in a Fight of the Night performance. Prior to that, he had two straight wins over top opponents and is currently sitting in the number five spot in the rankings. This bout between Kattar and Chikadze could hold title implications now that Holloway is out of his title shot against Alexader Volkanovski.
Do you think Giga Chikadze has what it takes to beat Calvin Kattar and fight for a title?
