Calvin Kattar and Giga Cikadze were the first UFC main event of 2022 and boy did they kick things off with a bang. Chikadze was winning in the first half of the opening round until a slip saw Kattar find an opening for a takedown. After that, it was all Kattar as he won all five rounds on the judges' scorecards.
Every fight in the UFC has some sort of storyline, sometimes it's a big one and sometimes it's a tiny one that only matters to the fighters. This fight had two big stories for both fighters.
Giga Chikadze was expected to beat a top-5 featherweight coming off of a beat down against Max Holloway. Chikadze would beat him with his striking and face the winner of Alexander Volkanovski vs The Korean Zombie at UFC 273.
Calvin Kattar had some big questions to answer coming off the fight against Max Holloway and a year-long layoff from fighting in the UFC. Many questioned his striking and his ceiling in the division.
Calvin Kattar put a beatdown on Giga Chikadze and answered every question that was asked heading into UFC Vegas 46. He proved he was a title contender and his boxing is some of the best in the division.
The UFC's featherweight division is in a complicated spot as the champion has a fight booked and Max Holloway is currently out injured. Keeping those things in mind, let's take a look at what should be next for Calvin Kattar and Giga Chikadze.
Giga Chikadze
Fans tend to overreact and make huge declarations about fighters when they're coming off of a bad loss. Giga Chikadze did lose in dominant fashion, but it's only a blip on the radar for the Georgian featherweight. Losses in the UFC happen all the time and it's rare that a fighter as talented as Chikadze can't bounce back. Just look at the way Calvin Kattar came back from the Max Holloway fight.
Giga Chikadze will not be fighting for a UFC title this year and that's ok. There are plenty of fun options in the featherweight's top-10 and Chikadze will want to bounce back with a fun fight. Names like Yair Rodriguez are a lot of fun but don't make sense considering their spots in the rankings.
Matching up Chikadze is complicated with injuries, rankings, and fights already being booked. The best option for the UFC featherweight is to face Josh Emmett. Emmett is on the hunt for a title shot but won't be able to get one with the division currently backed up. A fight with Chikadze works well for him as it keeps him in the title hunt and keeps him relevant by facing a UFC main eventer and big name.
The fight makes a lot of sense for Giga Chikadze as he needs someone in the top-10 to keep him relevant in the division. A win over Josh Emmett puts him right back in the UFC title hunt and gives him a tough test. The matchup also works really well for both fighters as it tests Emmett's striking and will force Chikadze to work on his wrestling.
The winner of the fight will find themselves in an excellent spot to eventually fight for the title. It's going to be a tricky situation regardless, with the UFC's featherweight division being all over the place. Dan Hooker dropping down and potentially fighting Arnold Allen doesn't help make things any easier. Giga Chikadze vs Josh Emmett is the fight to make next.
Calvin Kattar
Calvin Kattar is right back where he needs to be in the UFC featherweight division. He was ranked number five heading into the fight and will certainly find himself in a big fight for his next outing. Kattar most likely has at least one title fight in him and has proven that he's still an important player in the division. This bounce-back was very important for his career.
Calvin Kattar needs to be in the title conversation this year and his next fight should reflect that. Looking at featherweight right now, there are two options that make a lot of sense for him, Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez. Both fights are guaranteed to produce fireworks and help out the winner as they look to fight for a UFC title.
Brian Ortega is most likely not fighting for a UFC title for a long time and will serve as a gatekeeper of sorts. Yair Rodriguez proved he belonged at the top of the featherweight division with his fight against Max Holloway. He just needs to get a big win or two before entering title talks. So who makes the most sense for Calvin Kattar?
Brian Ortega is the fight to make next for the Bostonian UFC fighter. Ortega will want a big fight and Calvin Kattar deserves a big fight next. The two match up very well stylistically and both have a very clear path to victory. A win for Kattar could very well get him a title shot or very close to one. A win for Ortega keeps him relevant and at the top of the featherweight division.
The fight is a very exciting one on paper and could easily headline a UFC Fight Night event or boost a pay-per-view main card. The matchup is also very exciting with both known for putting on great striking battles. Ortega will also test Kattar's ground game with his submissions always proving to be a threat. The fight makes sense for both men and should be the next matchup.
UFC Vegas 46 Fights To Make Next
Calvin Kattar vs Brian Ortega
Giga Chikadze vs Josh Emmett
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