Giga Chikadze wants Max Holloway next and believes it will be easy work as well.
Chikadze is coming off an impressive third-round knockout win over Edson Barboza in their featherweight headliner last month.
Having earned the biggest win of his UFC career thus far, Chikadze is now aiming even higher as he looks to challenge for the featherweight strap soon.
Following his win over Barboza, the Georgian notably called out Holloway. And while he believes Holloway is the real champion rather than current king Alexander Volkanovski — having felt the Hawaiian did enough to win their rematch — Chikadze believes the former is an easier fight for himself.
“I think Max would be an even easier fight for me,” Chikadze told Submission Radio. “I know the weakness of Max more. I didn’t really study much Alex. I mean, he’s such short fighter, I’m gonna have a lot of advantages. This is what I believe.
“I know a lot of people are gonna say this and that, but I think that’s a great match-up for me.”
Chikadze: I’m The Best Striker In The UFC
With Holloway previously scheduled to fight Yair Rodriguez only to pull out due to injury while the latter supposedly refused to fight him, Chikadze believes it’s only fair that he fight “Blessed” next.
“Max and Yair were scheduled before, right? And then Max pulled out because of an injury and Yair didn’t fight me. He was asked to fight me,” Chikadze said. “I believe Max needs to fight me to go to the title shot next time. No one really wants to see Max and Alex fight again and again and again. I’m the new dog in the division, and I’ll be proving with my kicks and punches that I’m the real deal. I don’t talk without no reason. I’m not a dreamer. When I say I’m gonna knock people out, I knock people out.
“So, I believe I deserve this fight since Max was already scheduled [to fight Yair] before this fight. Now it’s time for me to get a big fight like Max. I’m ready to do it. I know he’s a champion, and for me he’s a people’s champ. I think he won his last fight. So that’s the fight to happen. I have a seven-fight win streak, [I’m a] very busy guy with the fights. I always take short-notice, long-notice, whatever notice and take the fight, and he needs to fight me. There’s a fight to happen. People want to see this fight.”
As for how it goes, Chikadze has a bold prediction.
“He said he’s the best boxer, right? I know I’m the best striker,” he added. “So, this fight is going to be a standing fight, and I guarantee you when the fight finishes he will be walking with crutches.”
You can watch the full interview below:
