Giga Chikadze doesn’t want to underestimate Josh Emmett when they face each other at UFC 296 on December 16. According to Chikadze, he’s expecting the “best version” of Emmett next month in their prelims featherweight bout. And although he’s considering himself as a knockout artist, Chikadze believes any type of victory will suffice, especially in this fight where a dangerous opponent could take him down.
Chikadze comes from the views of some that Emmett is already losing his brilliance in the sport after having a two-fight losing skid due to his loss to Ilia Topuria and Yair Rodriguez in June and February, respectively. Chikadze will be entering the cage with a recent win over Alex Caceres in August, but he’s not taking into account these details to ensure his next success. According to the fighter, Emmett remains a threat despite what others believe in.
“For me, I didn’t really pay attention where he’s coming from, because I know he’s a top 10 fighter,” Chikadze told MMA Junkie Radio. “He’s a very high-level athlete and I know that I have to be ready for my opponent’s best version. So, I’m coming from the win, but all this doesn’t matter for me. It’s a really important fight on the table for me.”
Chikadze hopes to use his next possible victory to move upward in the featherweight ranking of UFC and, ultimately, “to become a champion from Georgia.” With several KO wins in the past, the fighter admitted that winning his next bout in the same way would be exciting. Yet, with a “very experienced” opponent, Chikadze believes winning in any way possible is the goal.
“…the win is very important in this fight,” said Chikadze. “He’s very experienced, he fought for a title – everyone who’s beat him has fought for a title, or is fighting for the title. I know this fight means a lot, so I’ve got to win. Any type of win, I’ll take it.”
