November 30, 2023 9: 40 am ET
Giga Chikadze is not looking at Josh Emmett as being distinctively susceptible ahead of their UFC 296 match next month.
Emmett (18-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) getsin the featherweight battle with Chikadze (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), which takes location Dec. 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and airs on ESPN2 previous to the pay-per-view primary card and following early prelims on ESPN+, on the veryfirst two-fight losing skid of his more than 12-year profession.
At 38, there are concerns about whether Emmett is falling off, or he simply ran into the outright elite of the department in a consentaneous choice defeat to Ilia Topuria at UFC on ABC 5 in June, as well as a second-round submission loss to Yair Rodriguez in an interim title bout at UFC 284 in February.
Chikadze tends to lead towards the latter, and that’s why he’s not undervaluing Emmett whatsoever gettingin battle night.
“For me, I didn’t actually pay attention where he’s coming from, since I understand he’s a leading 10 fighter,” Chikadze informed MMA Junkie Radio. “He’s a really top-level professionalathlete and I understand that I have to be allset for my challenger’s finest variation. So, I’m coming from the win, however all this doesn’t matter for me. It’s a actually essential battle on the table for me.”
Chikadze, No. 13 in the mostcurrent USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie featherweight rankings, states No. 7-ranked Emmett would still be a important win for his profession as he looks