Giga Chikadze believes his win over Edson Barboza on Saturday proved he’s the best striker in MMA.
Chikadze comes from a kickboxing background and showed off impressive kicks and hands against Barboza en route to the third-round stoppage. It was the biggest win of his career and he says he believes the victory proved he’s the best striker in the sport.
“I’m supposed to fight a top-5 guy and this would be my bridge to a title,” Chikadze said after his win. “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,” Chikadze continued. “Boxing is a part of the striking, so I feel like the best boxer is under the best striker. What can I say?”
With the victory, Giga Chikadze believes he proved he belongs at the top of the featherweight division. He says he should be in the top-five and wants either a title shot or Max Holloway next.
“I’m not interested in anything [besides the title or Holloway],” Chikadze said. “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.
“I want to see myself in a top-5 rank next week—Top-3 actually, I want to be in top-3 because there is a guy who since I got in the UFC he hasn’t even fought,” Chikadze concluded. “I’m not even here two years and I fought seven fights, this guy did not even fight. Why he should be in top-3 and me, like, whatever they’re gonna put me. I have to be there. I deserve a title shot next, there is no other word. Like, prove me wrong, guys, if I say something that doesn’t make sense, but this is what I believe in all of my heart because when I see the resume, what I’ve done, yeah.”
Whether or not Chikadze will get Max Holloway next is uncertain. However, there’s no question he will get a big name and a top-ranked opponent next.
