The first UFC card of 2022 is set to feature two rising superstars in the featherweight division, Calvin Kattar and Giga Chikadze on January 15th at the UFC Apex Center in Las Vegas Nevada. So without wasting any more time, let’s look more into the matchup.
Calvin Kattar a.k.a. The Boston finisher is currently ranked #5 in the featherweight division and hasn’t stepped into the octagon since his unanimous decision loss to Max Holloway in the main event of UFC on ABC. In that bout, Holloway landed a total of 445 strikes and set the record for most strikes landed in a single fight which was not good for Kattar who was dominated inside the cage for five rounds.
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As for his opponent, Giga Chikadze, has tremendous momentum going into the fight. The Ninja currently finds himself on a seven-fight win streak which got him up to #8 in the featherweight division. In 2021, Chikadze fought twice, the first fight was against Cub Swanson in which the Georgian knocked Swanson out after just 01:03 minutes of round 1. The victory was followed by a high-profile victory against Edson Barboza where he picked up a KO in round 3.
In 2021, Kattar was just one fight away from a title fight when he took on Max Holloway, and now, it may seem like Giga Chikadze could be in the same situation if he takes on Kattar and then the #1 in the featherweight division, Holloway later in 2022.
PREDICTION: GIGA CHIKADZE TO WIN VIA KO/TKO
Calvin Kattar | Giga Chikadze | |
33 | Age | 33 |
5’11 | Height | 6 |
145 lbs | Weight | 145 lbs |
72’ | Reach | 74’ |
22 - 5 - 0 (11 KOs) | Record | 14 - 2 - 0 (9 KOs) |
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Both Kattar and Chikadze average only 0.33 takedowns per 15 minutes which makes this bout a standup battle and points the finger into just one direction – a Giga Chikadze KO. When it comes to striking, the Georgian looks calm and composed compared to his opponent Kattar who struggles big time against Holloway. Apart from that, Giga also averages 3.75 significant strikes per minute while absorbing just 2.69 and making his opponent miss more than 60% of their strikes.
In his last five fights, Chikadze has managed to knock down each and every opponent who stood in his way to featherweight glory and one of his best weapons is his “Giga Kick ” which is a lightning-fast kick to the liver which put Swanson down back in 2021. Giga also holds a two-inch reach advantage over Kattar which will help him read Kattar’s movement before letting his strikes go.
[Featured Image Credit: @thebestmmahighlights2]
Shashank Iyer