Giga Chikadze
Key Stats: 1.17 knockdowns per 15 minutes (5th all-time among FW), +1.41 striking differential (10th), 64.7% significant strike defense (tied-9th)
What It Means: “Ninja” is well-known for his kicking game, which comes ferociously and quickly. Chikadze is a karate specialist and a sharp counter striker. He’s comfortable along the fence picking his moments to land a precise shot that rattles his opponent. When he has space to operate, he is particularly dangerous. He’ll switch up the target of his kicks, but his left body kick is especially potent. He doesn’t wind up much on the kicks, and once he feels comfortable, his variety of spinning and flying attacks come with real unpredictability. He also likes to blitz forward with a combination of punches.
What to Look For in the Fight: The easy way to look at this matchup is as a puncher (Kattar) versus a kicker (Chikadze). There’s nuance like there always is in fights, but Kattar will have to be mindful of the space he gives Chikadze. If he stays in that mid-range, he might get his legs chopped up, which opponents tend to attempt given his boxing prowess. Kattar might have success pushing a pace on Chikadze, but he can’t do so recklessly.
Chikadze is going to be comfortable fighting on the outside and countering, and the moment Kattar’s guard is a little high, he’s going to fire off a low or body kick that can have real debilitating impact. Kattar hasn’t been dropped in a fight, but that might be tested on fight night. If Kattar can get inside and defuse Chikadze’s kicking game, he might be able to dictate the tempo and distance of the fight, critical in what should be a high-level striking matchup.
Katlyn Chookagian vs Jennifer Maia
Katlyn Chookagian
Key Stats: 7 wins (tied-2nd all-time among WFLW), 51.9% takedown defense (6th all-time among WFLW), 61.4% significant strike defense (7th all-time among WFLW)
What It Means: “Blonde Fighter” is a rock solid, well-rounded fighter in the flyweight division, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone on the roster more keenly aware of their strength in the Octagon. She’s a fundamentally sound striker who utilizes her long frame and footwork to stay in a comfortable striking range and keep herself out of danger. Chookagian enters and exits the pocket comfortably and often throws flurries of strikes. If she decides to grapple, she has shown excellent top control and ground-and-pound.
Full Fight Card Analysis | UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs Chikadze
Jennifer Maia
Key Stats: 14:56 average fight time (5th longest among WFLW), 53.8% takedown defense (4th all-time among WFLW), 3.97 strikes absorbed per minute (10th all-time among WFLW)
