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Giga Chikadze was being touted for a title shot heading into his fight against Calvin Kattar. However, after seeing his nine-fight win streak snapped, he needs to bounce back and will likely have to fight a lower-ranked opponent to do so.
Chikadze fought Kattar on Saturday in a five-round main event that ended up going the distance. While the 33-year-old wasn't finished, he took plenty of damage and didn't win a single round in the unanimous decision loss.
With that being said, Chikadze doesn't need too much of a drop in level of competition. He put together a seven-fight win streak after signing for the UFC and finished some big names in Edson Barboza and Cub Swanson during that time.
Chikadze is clearly deserving of being a top contender at featherweight but is now in an interesting spot, coming off a rather one-sided loss. He could look to take a safer fight just to get a win under his belt, or go after a surging contender in an attempt to hijack the momentum of another fighter.
Regardless of which route he ends up choosing to pursue, there are plenty of appealing matchups for the Georgian fighter to take. Here are five potential opponents for Giga Chikadze after his latest setback:
#5. Giga Chikadze vs. Bryce Mitchell
Bryce Mitchell is scheduled to face Edson Barboza at UFC 272 on March 5th. Chikadze's last win was a TKO finish of Barboza, meaning that should 'Thug Nasty' win, the Georgian could provide an appropriate step up in competition.
The one potential issue with this bout is that Mitchell could be due for an even bigger fight if he wins next time out. Should 'Thug Nasty' win, he would have a perfect 15-0 record and likely be a win or two away from a title shot.
In that case, a fight against Chikadze may not help Mitchell's title aspirations enough. Perhaps if Mitchell picks up an unconvincing or controversial win that slows his momentum a little, we could see the two square off in what would be a fascinating clash of styles.
#4. Giga Chikadze vs. Dan Ige
Dan Ige was on a similar run to Giga Chikadze before he lost Calvin Kattar. Since then, he has struggled for form going 1-2 making him an interesting opponent for Chikadze.
One potential issue with this fight is the fact that Ige is currently on a two-fight skid. Suffering three consecutive losses in the UFC is typically when a fighter's job security begins to be called into question, so fighting a man who was just on a nine-fight win streak may not be the most appealing proposition.
If Ige is open to this fight, however, it does make some sense. The two fighters are right next to each other in the rankings and are both looking to get back to winning ways. A fight between the pair would be very important to the division and would allow one man to secure their spot as a top ten featherweight.
#3. Giga Chikadze vs. Movsar Evloev
Giga Chikadze needs to bounce back from his loss in a big way to start once again climbing the rankings. Hijacking the momentum of the undefeated Movsar Evloev would certainly do just that and could make sense as the next bout for both men.
Evloev was scheduled to compete this weekend at UFC 270 but had to pull out due to COVID-19. With that fight now scrapped, Evloev needs a new dance partner and Chikadze would provide him with easily the biggest test of his career to date.
While this is a very tough fight for Chikadze, given he is coming off a loss, the Georgian doesn't seem short of confidence so why not go after a fight that would get him back on track in a big way? It will be interesting to see whether the UFC chooses to go this route when booking his next fight.
#2. Giga Chikadze vs. Ilia Topuria
Giga Chikadze and Ilia Topuria, both representing Georgia, would present an interesting backdrop to this fight. The two impressive fighters could go at it in a bout to determine the best featherweight in the nation.
While Topuria may not currently have a number next to his name, this fight could also end up making a lot of sense from a ranking perspective. Topuria is a perfect 11-0 and should he defeat Charles Jourdain this weekend at UFC 270, he would likely enter the rankings and close to where Chikadze currently sits.
This fight would provide Chikadze with the opportunity to bounce back in a big way and take over the wave of momentum Topuria is currently on. However, given the latter is fighting this weekend, we'll have to wait and see what happens in that one first.
#1. Giga Chikadze vs. Shane Burgos
Shane Burgos bounced back from consecutive losses with a unanimous decision win at UFC 268. With him being a little lower in the rankings but coming off a win he could make a lot of sense as an opponent for Giga Chikadze.
Burgos also has a loss to Kattar and while he has been largely successful in his UFC run, he has struggled against the division's elite. This fight would provide a perfect test to prove he can win those fights against the best. For Chikadze, the fight gives him a chance to get back on track and prove he deserves his spot in the top ten.
This fight was one of the most highly requested in the immediate aftermath of Chikadze's defeat and for good reason. The two men have accumulated four performance bonuses each thus far and one imagines a fifth would be headed their way if this bout does get booked.
