Tag: Giga Chikadze

Sean Woodson wants ‘fireworks’ fight with Giga Chikadze on path to UFC title contention

Sean Woodson thinks a fight with him and Giga Chikadze would inevitably deliver.

[autotag]Sean Woodson[/autotag] thinks a fight with him and [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] would inevitably deliver.

Woodson (13-1-1 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC) has been on a role after scoring four-straight wins, most recently a first-round TKO of Fernando Padilla at UFC on ESPN 63 last month.

Unbeaten in his past seven fights, Woodson thinks he’s earned an opportunity at a ranked opponent, and sees Chikadze (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) as the perfect dance partner. Chikadze hasn’t competed since a unanimous decision loss to Arnold Allen at UFC 304 in July.

“I was looking at the rankings, and between who’s matched up and just what I feel like would be a good fight is me and Giga,” Woodson told MMA Junkie Radio. “I want Giga Chikadze next. He’s due for a fight. He hasn’t fought for a while. He’s another 6-foot tall featherweight, and if we’re talking styles and matchups for fireworks, and making exciting fights, I feel like that’s a no-brainer, me and him. All we want to do is strike.

“We both have striking backgrounds. Neither one of us are going to be shooting for takedowns or hunting submissions. We’re both going to be hunting the knockout, and I just feel like that’s a no-brainer as far as exciting fights, and it’s a very realistic matchup for me being on the streak that I’m on and him being on the backend of the rankings. That’s the fight I want next. I want it bad.”

Woodson competed three times in 2024, and looks to replicate his successful year in 2025 – but against higher-level competition.

“That’s my ideal pace for the year,” Woodson said. “I want to get in three a year, per year, every year if I can. That’s my goal for 2025 is to get three more wins, except all three of the wins being against ranked opponents. With three ranked wins and three solid performances, I feel like that sets me up 2026 to be one or two away from a title shot, as crazy as it sounds.”

[lawrence-related id=2793651,2793177,2739760]

Arnold Allen calls out Giga Chikadze for ‘no excuse’ injury excuses after UFC 304 loss

It wouldn’t be an MMA event if a fighter didn’t say there was no excuse for the loss that just happened … and then gave excuses.

It wouldn’t be an MMA event if there wasn’t a fighter who got in front of a camera to say there was no excuse for the loss that just happened.

It also wouldn’t be an MMA event if there wasn’t a quick “But,” followed by some excuses for the loss. Sunday, mere hours after his win, [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (20-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) called out featherweight opponent [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) for a post-fight video posted to social media.

“This is not the way,” Arnold posted with a re-circulation of a video from Chikadze saying he tore his shoulder in the first round. And in the comments on the same post, Allen wondered how it was Chikadze got his medical diagnosis so quickly after the matchup, which opened the pay-per-view main card at UFC 394 in Manchester, England.

“Also how’s he know he needs surgery,” Allen posted. “I think I broke my hand in the first round too but I’m still waiting for an mri and xray etc 🤷🏼‍♂️ UFCs magic doctors must’ve screwed me”

Allen, fighting in front of his home fans in England, got back in the win column after back-to-back losses to former featherweight champ Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev, which were his first setbacks in nearly a decade.

Allen nearly was a 3-1 betting favorite in the fight. In a strategic battle that played out on the feet, Allen outstruck Chikadze 61-39 and won with a trio of 29-28 scores from the judges. Allen said he chose to stand and trade with his opponent intentionally since many thought he’d likely wrestle him giving his striking skills.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

[vertical-gallery id=2758621]

UFC 304 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Leon Edwards, Tom Aspinall lead with $42,000

Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall fetched maximum $42,000 payouts under the Promotional Guidelines Compliance for entering UFC 304 with belts.

MANCHESTER, England – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 304 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $307,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC 304 took place at Co-op Live. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

The full UFC 304 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag]: $42,000

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag]: $42,000
def. [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]King Green[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Gregory Rodrigues[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Christian Leroy Duncan[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Daniel Pineda[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Bruna Brasil[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Jake Hadley[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Caolan Loughran[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Muhammad Mokaev[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Oban Elliott[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Preston Parsons[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Modestas Bukauskas[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Marcin Prachnio[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Sam Patterson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kiefer Crosbie[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Mick Parkin[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Lukasz Brzeski[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Shauna Bannon[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Alice Ardelean[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $4,575,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $27,312,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

UFC 304 results: Arnold Allen elects to stand, outpoints Giga Chikadze in fun battle

Arnold Allen kickboxed with the kickboxer for 15 minutes at UFC 304 – and won.

[autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]’s path to victory Saturday was a bit unexpected but he got the job done in statement making fashion.

In case there were questions, Allen (20-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC) proved he could stand with one of the division’s best strikers, as he defeated [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-29, 29-28). The featherweight bout opened up the UFC 304 main card at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

Allen seemed to improve as the fight went on. After a close round that the judges scored for Chikadze, Allen pressed the action for the remaining 10 minutes. It was death by a thousand papercuts for Chikadze, who was slowly bloodied and bruises by Allen’s aggressive attack.

There were no knockdowns or significant damaging blows, but Allen’s change of rhythm and diverse striking arsenal puzzled the former Glory Kickboxing kickboxer Chikadze until the final bell.

With the victory, Allen snaps a two-fight skid comprised of defeats to Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev. Those two losses were the only of his UFC tenure and came after a 12-fight winning streak.

As for Chikadze, he loses for the second time in three outings. In his fight previous to Saturday, he defeated Alex Caceres by unanimous decision. That fight was in August 2023. Chikadze had not competed since then due to injury.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 304 results include:

Arnold Allen def. Giga Chikadze at UFC 304: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Arnold Allen’s unanimous decision win over Giga Chikadze at UFC 304.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag]’s unanimous decision win over [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] at UFC 304 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. (Photos by Ben Roberts, Getty Images; Reuters; UFC; MMA Junkie)

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC 304

Arnold Allen might be the higher-quality fighter in every phase, but Giga Chikadze will be a tough out at UFC 304.

[autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] and [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC 304 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 3-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 61-54-3

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze UFC 304 preview

Allen (19-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) ascended through the ranks of the UFC featherweight division by winning his first 10 fights but then crashed, losing back-to-back fights to former champ Max Holloway and top contender Movsar Evloev. Allen should be motivated to get back on track. … Injuries have prevented Chikadze (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) from being active as he fought just once in 2022, once in 2023 and is about to make his 2024 debut. After being overwhelmed by Calvin Kattar in 2022, Chikadze rebounded to defeat Alex Caceres by unanimous decision in his most recent fight last year.

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze UFC 304 expert pick, prediction

Despite usually ripping the UFC matchmakers for this selection of the main-card opener, I’ve got to give them credit for finally going back to Joe Silva’s surefire card formatting signature of shunning heavyweight slop-fests to the prelims while using lightweights and featherweights to properly kick off the featured fights.

This week, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby smartly chose a fight between Allen and Chikadze to start the paid portion of the card.

Although Allen is currently riding a two-fight losing skid, it’s important to remember that those losses came to two of the very best in the division (and was arguably a big moment or two away from beating Movsar Evloev last time out).

Whereas Chikadze, who is currently trying to build on a win over Alex Caceres, has gotten much more favorable matchmaking than the Englishman. But that aside, both men pose interesting stylistic threats for the other.

I rate Allen as a higher-quality fighter in almost every phase. The 30-year-old tends to operate in a range that suits Chikadze and his kicking repertoire.

For that reason, things could get tricky if Allen fails to pressure or counter at the proper times. That said, I suspect that Allen will be able to score consistently down the stretch after navigating what should be a sketchy first round.

So long as he doesn’t give away too many of the “big moments” that tend to fool the judges and Gen Pop alike, then I see Allen taking a competitive but clear decision on the scorecards.

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze UFC 304 odds

The oddsmakers and the public are siding with the Englishman, listing Allen -230 and Chikadze +184, according to FanDuel.

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze start time, how to watch

Allen and Chikadze are expected to walk out to the cage at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Ahead of UFC 304, Giga Chikadze warns wrestle-happy opponents they’ll just get knocked out faster

Giga Chikadze said anyone who’s interested in wrestling him to keep him at bay might want to think again.

MANCHESTER, England – [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] met the media Wednesday ahead of his fight at UFC 304.

Chikadze (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) takes on Arnold Allen (19-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in a featherweight fight to open up the main card on pay-per-view at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. At media day in Manchester, Chikadze took questions from media members before his fight.

Chikadze finally is back after a layoff of 11 months. He was set to return this past December, but had to pull out of a fight against Josh Emmett. That means Allen now stands in his way of a second straight win in his effort to rebound from the first UFC loss of his career.

Of note, Chikadze said anyone who’s interested in wrestling him to keep him at bay might want to think again.

Check out Chikadze’s full media day interview in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Video replay: UFC 304 press conference

You can watch a live stream of the UFC 304 press conference in Manchester, England right here on MMA Junkie.

The UFC 304 pre-fight press conference takes place Thursday, and you can watch a live stream of the event in the video above. The press conference takes place at Co-Op Live in Manchester, England, which also hosts Saturday’s fight card.

UFC 304 is built around two title-fight rematches involving British champions as [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] puts his welterweight title on the line in a rematch with [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag], while Tom [autotag]Aspinall[/autotag] and [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] run it back for the interim heavyweight belt.

Here’s what you need to know about the UFC 304 press conference.

What time does the UFC 304 press conference start?

The UFC 304 press conference starts at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, which is 6 p.m. local time in Manchester.

Who’s taking part in the UFC 304 press conference?

Eight fighters from four main-card bouts are slated to participate in the UFC 304 press conference: Edwards, Muhammad, Aspinall, Blaydes, [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag], [autotag]King Green[/autotag], [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag], and [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag]. In addition, ranked flyweights [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] and [autotag]Muhammad Mokaev[/autotag] are expected from the early prelims.

UFC CEO Dana White will oversee the UFC 304 press conference.

[lawrence-related id=2757621,2757630,2757661,2757484,2757603]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

Giga Chikadze: UFC 304 win over Arnold Allen puts me ‘back to where I belong’ in title picture

Giga Chikadze thinks beating Arnold Allen at UFC 304 will get him back to a prominent place in the featherweight title pecking order.

[autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] hopes a victory over Arnold Allen at UFC 304 will serve as a reminder that he’s a legitimate title contender.

Chikadze (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) will attempt to get back on a winning streak when he enters enemy territory to face Allen (19-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in a featherweight bout on July 27 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

After opening his UFC career with seven consecutive victories, Chikadze hit his first octagon road block with a unanimous decision defeat to Calvin Kattar at UFC on ESPN 32 in January 2022. He subsequently had a 20-month layoff that included injuries and fight cancellations, but then Chikadze returned with force in August to outpoint Alex Caceres for a unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 225.

That win set him up for the clash with Allen, who Chikadze regards highly as an opponent and thinks he can elevate his career in a significant way.

“He’s definitely a very strong opponent,” Chikadze told MMA Junkie Radio. “Fighting and defeating someone like that is definitely, for me, coming out from the last win, I believe it’s one of the contender fights for the title. For Allen, it’s probably more staying in his spot. He’s ranked No. 5 or No. 6 right now (in the official UFC rankings) and has already had a title eliminator. It’s like two different perspectives. I have eight wins in the UFC and only one loss. The last fight was a win, and definitely this is going to put me back to where I belong in that spot.”

Allen, No. 8 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie featherweight rankings, will be hungry for a win at UFC 304 following back-to-back losses against Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev. No. 13 Chikadze will have something to say about that, though, and as always, will try to keep the fight standing in hopes of a highlight finish.

“He’s a different style of guy,” Chikadze said. “He’s always strong, well rounded fighter. Not bad in striking. Not bad in the ground, as well. He has all the tools. … I believe I’m the best striker still, and I know what adjustments I have to do in the fights.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.

UFC 304 adds Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze to Manchester lineup

A big featherweight bout is headed to UFC 304 in Manchester, England.

UFC 304 has added a featherweight contender clash – and a little home-country flavor.

At the July 27 pay-per-view event in Manchester, England’s [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] will battle Georgia’s [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] in a three-round bout.

Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the booking Thursday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Super Lutas first listed the promotion was targeting the matchup for England.

Allen (19-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) aims to bounce back from a loss to Movsar Evloev at UFC 297 in January. The defeat was his second in as many fights, paired with an April 2023 defeat to Max Holloway. Both losses were unanimous decisions.

Chikadze (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) has only competed once since a January 2022 loss to Calvin Kattar. He defeated Alex Caceres 19 months later, in August 2023. Then scheduled to fight Josh Emmett at UFC 296 in December, Chikadze suffered a groin injury that caused him to withdraw from the fight.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=420030788]