Latest news with #Chikadze
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 66
Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 66 A fun featherweight scrap between Giga Chikadze and David Onama fills in the UFC Kansas City main card. Will the judges be needed? Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 66 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. Last event: 3-2 UFC main cards, 2025: 35-29-1 Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama UFC on ESPN 66 preview Chikadze (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) enters his first fight of 2025 looking to bounce back into the win column following a setback by unanimous decision against Arnold Allen in his only fight last year. In the fight prior, Chikadze scored a decision over Alex Caceres. From 2018-21, Chikadze put together an impressive nine-fight winning streak that included three consecutive bonus-earning finishes. ... Onama (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) will look to make it four in a row against arguably his toughest opponent to date. Following a majority decision loss to Nate Landwehr in 2022, Onama has not lost since, picking up wins over Gabriel Santos, Jonathan Pearce and Roberto Romero. Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama UFC on ESPN 66 expert pick, prediction Serving as a solid action fight at featherweight is a matchup between Chikadze and Onama. Chikadze, who is now training with Cub Swanson and company ahead of this contest, is a dynamic power striker who is dangerous coming forward and off the counter. The potential problem, however, is that Chikadze has been more of a one-and-done striker in exchanges, and fighters are starting to figure out that pressure is the way to beat him. Although Onama arguably shares a similar weakness to pressure, the 30-year-old has a much more consistent offensive output and has proven that, for better or worse, he has the dogged nature to come back and win exchanges. As I said before his fight with Nate Landwher, I don't like Onama's seeming willingness to welcome wars when he doesn't need to. However, I'm not so sure this is a spot it will cost him. Don't get me wrong: Chikadze's right-hand counter will be live early, given the defensive liabilities Onama has shown in the past. If Chikadze fails to finish Onama in the first 5-7 minutes of this fight, I believe the Ugandan fighter's flexibility from striking to ground assaults will be too much for the Georgian specialist. Despite my sneaky suspicion that Onama will be submission hunting, I'll officially pick him to win by decision. Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama UFC on ESPN 66 odds The oddsmakers and the public favor the fighter from Uganda, listing Onama -192 and Chikadze +154 via FanDuel. Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama UFC on ESPN 66 start time, how to watch Chikadze and Onama are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 10:40 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts on ESPN 2 and streams on ESPN+.
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 66: How Giga Chikadze is looking at unranked David Onama as an investment
UFC on ESPN 66: How Giga Chikadze is looking at unranked David Onama as an investment Giga Chikadze hopes beating David Onama at UFC on ESPN 66 will lead to bigger things. Chikadze (15-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) takes on Onama (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) on Saturday's main card (ESPN2, ESPN+) at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. Chikadze is coming off a unanimous decision loss to top 10 ranked Arnold Allen at UFC 304 last July. He now draws a featherweight on the rise, but expects the UFC to reward him with a win. "I feel like that's an investment for me," Chikadze said during Wednesday's UFC on ESPN 66 media day. "Fight somebody who's not ranked, so I'm going to expect something after, something big from the UFC. I do something for them, they do something for me. I'm here to become a champion. That's the only reason I'm in the UFC. I'm not here just to get paid." Onama has won five of his past six, with three of those wins coming by finish. While Chikadze was reluctant to offer too much praise, he acknowledged his opponent's dangerous style. "As an opponent, if you ask me, I'm not going to say nice things," Chikadze said. "In general, yeah he's a great fighter. He has some knockout skills. I look at him as a good athlete and good, competitive fighter. That's all I can say at the moment. I can speak about him highly after the fight."
