'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#4. Edson Barboza vs. Giga Chikadze - UFC Vegas 35
This UFC fight might not be one with star names or top contenders involved, but what a mouth-watering prospect it is. Two vicious strikers and powerful kickers going toe-to-toe. If there's one fight to watch in August, it's Edson Barboza vs. Giga Chikadze.
Barboza is one of the most recognizable names in MMA. When you think about the UFC, Barboza is one of the first names that comes to mind. Despite being closer to 40 years old than 30, the Brazilian remains a top athlete and over the past year, he's shown he can still hang with the best.
Across 25 fights in the UFC, the 36-year-old has beaten the likes of Paul Felder, Anthony Pettis, Beneil Dariush, Dan Hooker and Gilbert Melendez. Back-to-back defeats to Justin Gaethje and Felder saw Barboza make the move down to featherweight in 2020. A razor-thin split decision loss to Dan Ige made it clear he could compete at 145-pounds.
Against Makwan Amirkhani last October, Barboza secured his first win in the division, but it was his most recent performance that established him as a real contender. Edson Barboza secured back-to-back wins at UFC 262 against Shane Burgos, and in doing so, provided us with one of the most bizarre knockouts in UFC history.
Giga Chikadze, meanwhile, is one of the leading men in the UFC's Georgian invasion. Since debuting in 2019, 'Ninja' has built an unbeaten 6-0 record in the promotion. A brutal head kick against Jamey Simmons last November firmly established his name as one to watch at 145-pounds. At UFC Vegas 25, Chikadze secured a similarly brutal finish. With the return of the famed 'Giga Kick', the Georgian finished Cub Swanson inside the opening round with a hard body-shot and made his case for a big-name opponent next time out.
Imagine the battle of kicks this fight is going to bring us. For that reason alone, this matchup is one of the most exciting bouts still to come this year.
#3. Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan 2 - UFC 267
Ever since UFC 259, this fight has been needed. Not just to settle the rivalry between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan, but also to provide a stacked bantamweight division with the one key component it's missing: an impressive and must-watch champion.
It almost doesn't feel like there is a bantamweight champion. The title feels vacant, which is no disrespect to Aljamain Sterling. The 31-year-old was illegally struck by Petr Yan and clearly wouldn't have wanted to win the title that way. But that doesn't change the fact that the champion was crowned by Yan's disqualification, in a fight where they seemed to be clearly on the way to losing.
At UFC 267, Sterling has the chance to show he's on the bantamweight throne on merit. He has the opportunity to show that he is a dominant and imposing champion. Because whatever the trolls say, his talent and skill inside the cage is undeniable. His first-round victory over Cory Sandhagen showed that.
For Yan, this fight offers a chance for retribution. Having lost the title on a night where he looked minutes away from comfortably defending it, the Russian would love nothing more than to have the gold wrapped around his waist in Abu Dhabi, which was where he won it back in 2020.
Alongside Jan Blachowicz's clash with Glover Teixeira, Sterling's first defense will be one of two title fights on a card which will see the UFC's return to Fight Island.
Despite the light heavyweight belt being on the line, this is arguably the premier fight on the card, especially given the ongoing feud between 'Funk Master' and Yan. With T.J. Dillashaw waiting in the wings for a shot at the victor, and top contenders like Sandhagen and Rob Font vying for a chance at the belt, the stakes and importance of this championship fight cannot be understated.
