(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Edson Barboza after UFC on ESPN 30 loss?)
Giga Chikadze erased any doubt that he’s a serious player to watch in the UFC featherweight division Saturday with a main event win over Edson Barboza.
It was primarily one-way traffic for Chikadze (14-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in the UFC on ESPN 30 headliner. He dropped longtime octagon veteran Barboza (22-10 MMA, 16-10 UFC) multiple times en route to the third-round TKO at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
With the win, Chikadze became just the third 145-pound fighter in UFC history to start his tenure with the promotion with seven consecutive wins. He called for a role as the backup fighter for the UFC 266 title fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega, but what should he do next if the bout goes forward as planned and the opportunity doesn’t come to fruition?
Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Chikadze’s future after UFC on ESPN 30.