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The Tbilisi, Georgia, native will put his seven-fight winning streak on the line when he confronts the well-respected Cub Swanson in the UFC on ESPN 23 co-headliner this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Chikadze has enjoyed a slow but steady climb on the 145-pound ladder, putting him in position to challenge for a spot in the Top 10. A win over Swanson, particularly a decisive one, might accelerate those plans. Chikadze last appeared at UFC on ESPN 17, where he brought down James Krause-Simmons with a first-round head kick and follow-up punches on Nov. 7.
As Chikadze prepares for his critical showdown with Swanson, here are five things you might not know about him:
1. He sharpened his blades outside of MMA.
A third-degree black belt in Goju-ryu karate, Chikadze put those skills to use as a kickboxer before he transitioned to mixed martial arts. The results speak for themselves. He compiled a 38-6 record with 22 knockouts, including 6-3 mark in Glory.
2. He chose the road less traveled.
Chikadze elected not to cut his teeth on the regional scene and instead made his professional MMA debut in the World Series of Fighting, losing a unanimous decision to Gil Guardado at WSOF 26 on Dec. 18, 2015. He has rattled off 12 wins in 13 appearances since, a submission defeat to Austin Springer on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018 his only hiccup.
3. He surrounds himself with the right people.
“Ninja” operates out of Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, California, where he trains under Rafael Cordeiro and has worked alongside a number of the sport’s most successful fighters, from Fabricio Werdum, Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua to Rafael dos Anjos, Beneil Dariush and Marvin Vettori.
4. All-or-nothing results have defined his run.
All eight of Chikadze’s stoppage victories have come in the first round, four of them inside the first minute. He punched out Anthony Ross in 10 seconds at Gladiator Challenge “Absolute Beatdown” on March 25, 2017, wiped out Julian Hernandez with punches in 49 seconds at Gladiator Challenge “Summer Feud” on June 10, 2017, submitted Clay Baines with an armbar in 12 seconds at Gladiator Challenge “Summer Showdown” on Aug. 11, 2018 and struck Damien Manzanares into submission in 51 seconds at the Gladiator Challenge MMA World Championships on March 23, 2019. Chikadze’s four other wins have all gone the distance.
5. He represents his homeland as part of a select group.
Chikadze remains one of only six Georgians on the UFC roster. The others: Merab Dvalishvili, Liana Jojua, Roman Dolidze, Ilia Topuria and Guram Kutateladze. He will share the UFC on ESPN 23 stage with Dvalishvili, who will face Cody Stamann in a three-round bantamweight showcase.