Giga Chikadze surprised fight fans with his knockout victory over Edson Barboza at UFC Vegas 35. He was a significant underdog in the bout, but upon emerging victorious declared himself the best striker in mixed martial arts, and demanded that he face featherweight title contender Max Holloway next.
At the post-fight press conference, Chikadze declared his title campaign.
Chikadze Names Himself “Best Striker” in MMA, Demands Max Holloway Next
“I’m supposed to fight a top-5 guy and this would be my bridge to a title.
Nobody agreed to fight me from the top-5 at the moment, so I fought Edson, who is one of the biggest names. I believe now I deserve a title shot
Max was a case where he was calling himself the best boxer. They were calling Edson the best striker so I already passed his test, now I’m kind of holding the best striker [title] in this sport.
Boxing is a part of the striking, so I feel like the best boxer is under the best striker.
What can I say?”
Chikadze clearly loves fighting. He’s happy to step in on short notice to fight virtually anyone, particularly in title fights. He generously volunteered his services as understudy for the UFC 266 featherweight title bout between champ Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski and contender Brian Ortega.
“All my fights were like, one week, two week notice before.
This is the first fight… with Cub I also had a little bit of time and this fight I had time to prepare.
The rest of the fights, my fifth fight was, like, very short notice, two weeks’ notice all of them. So when they call for a title, I’ll be right there. If somebody say this word now and confirms at least one percent, I’m going to stay in Vegas and keep training here. I’ll be in Huntington, I’ll prepare at Kings again where I train, where my place is, and drive three and a half hours up here, fly, whatever.
A title is different for me. I can fight anytime when a title comes.
Honestly, I was calling Max before and that’s something that I wanted before.
Now it’s my time it’s Giga time. Conor era is done, Khabib retired, Georges St-Pierre is retired, now it’s Giga time, it’s different.
So guys, make sure to put yourself on the Giga train and ride with me.”
Chikadze believes that he is worthy of top ranking in the division after his performance.
“I’m not interested in anything [besides the title or Holloway].
Why? Everybody say no before to me. I’ve been told that ‘Now you’re going to fight a top-5 guy and then you fight for the title,’ the top-5 guys didn’t agree, nobody agree, and that’s why I fought Edson, who is a bigger name than the top-5.”
Do you think Chikadze should get the next shot at the featherweight title, or a shot at Max Holloway? Let us know in the comments.
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