Giga Chikadze Bio
Giga Chikadze is a Georgian professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer who competes in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Born on 25 August 1988 in Tbilisi, he carries the ring nickname “Ninja” and trains out of Kings MMA. Chikadze built his reputation as a top-tier kickboxer before transitioning into mixed martial arts, where his striking pedigree and finishing ability have made him a recognizable figure on the UFC roster.
Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall with a 74-inch reach, Chikadze holds a 3rd dan black belt in Goju-ryu Karate, the foundation of his striking style. He continues to fight out of Tbilisi, Georgia, and remains active in the UFC Featherweight division, where he has earned multiple post-fight bonuses for his performances.
Early Life and Background
Giga Chikadze was born on 25 August 1988 in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union. Between the ages of four and five, he began training in Goju-ryu Karate, an early introduction to martial arts that would shape the rest of his life. As a child, he drew inspiration from martial arts films starring Jet Li and Bruce Lee, fueling his desire to pursue combat sports seriously.
Chikadze’s first exposure to mixed martial arts came through watching early UFC events on VHS tapes, where he became captivated by Royce Gracie’s ability to defeat larger opponents while wearing a keikogi. He later studied Business Management in college, graduating with a degree in the field. The combination of structured karate training and a fascination with full-contact competition set the stage for his future career in striking-based combat sports.
Path to MMA
Chikadze began his professional combat sports career in kickboxing, eventually relocating to the Netherlands to train at a higher level. In 2015, he joined GLORY, the world’s largest kickboxing organization, where he competed in the Featherweight division and built a record that established him as a serious striking talent. His success in GLORY positioned him as one of the more notable kickboxers to transition into mixed martial arts.
With a kickboxing record of 38 wins and 12 losses, including knockouts, Chikadze brought an elite striking pedigree when he moved into MMA in 2015. His kickboxing foundation, combined with his Goju-ryu Karate base, gave him a versatile and dangerous stand-up game that would later translate into finishes inside the UFC Octagon.
Giga Chikadze Career
Early Career (2015–2018)
Giga Chikadze made his mixed martial arts debut as a lightweight in the World Series of Fighting, where he lost a unanimous decision to Gil Guardado. Following that defeat, he joined the Gladiator Challenge promotion and embarked on a five-fight win streak, with every victory coming by way of first-round knockout. The streak demonstrated his finishing instincts and helped him rebuild momentum as he sought a path to a major promotion.
In mid-June of 2018, Chikadze was selected to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series 10 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he faced former Ultimate Fighter contestant Austin Springer in a featherweight bout. He suffered his second professional loss after being submitted via rear-naked choke in the third round. Chikadze then returned to the Gladiator Challenge, picking up a quick submission victory and a swift TKO to cap off his development years on the regional circuit.
UFC Debut and Rise (2019–2021)
Chikadze signed a four-fight contract with the UFC and was scheduled to debut against Mike Davis at UFC Fight Night 160 in Copenhagen, Denmark. When Davis withdrew due to health issues, Brandon Davis stepped in on short notice, and Chikadze walked away with a split decision victory after a scoring correction. He followed that up with a razor-thin split decision win over Jamall Emmers at UFC 248, showcasing his ability to grind out victories against durable opponents.
The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his schedule, as Chikadze withdrew from a bout with Alex Caceres at UFC Fight Night 175 after testing positive for the virus. He rebounded with unanimous decision wins over Irwin Rivera and Omar Morales, the latter at UFC Fight Night 179, where he also knocked Morales down in the final round. In November 2020, a first-round technical knockout of Jamey Simmons at UFC on ESPN 17 earned him the Performance of the Night award, signaling his arrival as a finisher in the division.
Chikadze’s 2021 campaign was a breakthrough year, beginning with a stunning first-round technical knockout of veteran Cub Swanson at UFC on ESPN 23, finished by a kick to the liver. The performance earned him another Performance of the Night bonus. He followed that with a dramatic third-round technical knockout of Edson Barboza at UFC on ESPN 30 in a back-and-forth fight, capping one of the most impressive stretches of his career.
UFC Main Event and Recent Years (2022–2025)
On 15 January 2022, Chikadze headlined UFC on ESPN 32 against Calvin Kattar in his first UFC main event. He lost a hard-fought unanimous decision after being knocked down and nearly finished in the final seconds, a fight that earned him the Fight of the Night award. In May 2022, he was announced as the UFC 2022 recipient of the Forrest Griffin Community Award for his volunteer and charity work through his “Knockout Cancer Foundation,” which supports cancer patients with medical bills.
A scheduled bout with Sodiq Yusuff at UFC Fight Night 210 in September 2022 was cancelled after Chikadze withdrew due to injury. He returned in August 2023, beating Alex Caceres by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 225. A planned matchup with Josh Emmett at UFC 296 in December 2023 fell through when Chikadze withdrew due to an undisclosed injury, and he was replaced by Bryce Mitchell.
Chikadze faced Arnold Allen on 27 July 2024 at UFC 304, losing by unanimous decision. In April 2025, a bout with David Onama at UFC on ESPN 66 saw him miss the featherweight non-title limit by one pound, resulting in a catchweight fight and a fine of 20 percent of his purse, which was awarded to Onama. He lost that fight by unanimous decision. His most recent appearance came on 13 December 2025 at UFC on ESPN 73, where he was defeated by Kevin Vallejos via knockout from a spinning backfist and elbows in round two.
Style and Strengths
Chikadze is a technical, karate-based striker whose foundation in Goju-ryu Karate gives him sharp counters, distance management, and crisp kicks. His kickboxing pedigree translates into a high volume of accurate strikes and the ability to finish opponents with liver kicks, head kicks, and flurries. Training at Kings MMA alongside elite fighters, he has continued to round out his overall game, though his path to victory is almost always through clean, committed striking.
Notable Events and Milestones
His signature victories include the first-round liver-kick finish of Cub Swanson and the third-round technical knockout of Edson Barboza, both of which earned Performance of the Night bonuses. His Fight of the Night with Calvin Kattar, the Forrest Griffin Community Award in 2022, and three total Performance of the Night awards highlight the milestones of his UFC run to date.
Giga Chikadze Career Wins
Chikadze has compiled a professional mixed martial arts record of 15 wins and 5 losses, with 9 wins by knockout, 4 by decision, and 1 by submission, across 20 total fights. Inside the UFC, he has strung together notable finishes and decision wins, while his pre-UFC career included a five-fight first-round knockout streak in the Gladiator Challenge. His kickboxing record of 38 wins and 12 losses underscores the striking foundation that has defined his career.
UFC Highlights
In the UFC, Chikadze has earned wins over Brandon Davis, Jamall Emmers, Irwin Rivera, Omar Morales, Jamey Simmons, Cub Swanson, Edson Barboza, and Alex Caceres. The Swanson and Barboza finishes stand out as his most high-profile performances, both producing Performance of the Night bonuses. His first UFC victory came via a corrected split decision over Brandon Davis at UFC Fight Night 160 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and his most recent UFC win was a unanimous decision over Caceres in August 2023.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Chikadze posted a five-fight first-round knockout streak in the Gladiator Challenge and earned a quick submission victory after returning from the Contender Series. He has also been recognized for his community work, receiving the Forrest Griffin Community Award in 2022 for his efforts with the Knockout Cancer Foundation.
Giga Chikadze Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Giga Chikadze’s family and upbringing is limited, with most verified details centered on his own martial arts journey rather than his relatives.
Personal Life
Chikadze has stated that he attended college and graduated with a degree in Business Management. He is also known for his charitable work through the Knockout Cancer Foundation, which provides financial support to individuals battling cancer. He is not known to be married, and details about his personal relationships have not been publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Chikadze’s 2025 campaign was a difficult chapter in his UFC tenure. The April catchweight bout with David Onama at UFC on ESPN 66 ended in a unanimous decision loss, made more costly by a one-pound miss on the scale that resulted in a 20 percent purse fine awarded to his opponent. The loss added to a string of setbacks and left him searching for momentum heading into the back half of the year.
On 13 December 2025 at UFC on ESPN 73, Chikadze faced rising prospect Kevin Vallejos and was finished in the second round by a spinning backfist followed by elbows. The defeat dropped his record to 15 wins and 5 losses across his professional MMA career. The performance raised fresh questions about his place in a crowded Featherweight picture, even as he continued to be regarded as a dangerous striker on any given night.
Looking ahead, Chikadze had been scheduled to face Vinicius Oliveira on 20 June 2026 at UFC Fight Night 279, though he ultimately withdrew from that booking for undisclosed reasons. A scheduled bout with David Onama on 5 April 2025 at UFC on ESPN 65 was also moved to 26 April 2025 at UFC on ESPN 66 before the fight took place. The 2025 results underscore the need for a reset, but with Kings MMA in his corner and an elite karate base still intact, Chikadze remains a live threat whenever he steps back into the Octagon.