A featherweight fight between Edson Barboza and Giga Chikadze has been targeted to headline UFC Fight Night 192 on August 28th.
At 35-years-old Barboza remains an elite striker within the 145lb ranks and after a tough spell in which he lost five out of six fights in the UFC, he’s successfully managed to rebound with victories against Makwan Amirkhani and then Shane Burgos.
The win over Burgos was a particularly memorable one, knocking him out back in May with a punch that resulted in an unusually long delayed reaction, with his opponent staying upright for several seconds afterwards, before suddenly his legs gave out and he slumped to the mat.
Barboza is no stranger to highlight reel finishes, but in Chikadze he’s facing another fearsome technical striker who has yet to find his equal in the Octagon, winning all six of his fights in the promotion so far.
It’s a run that began with split decision victories over Brandon Davis and Jamall Emmers, then unanimous decision wins against Irwin Rivera and Omar Morales.
However, the former kickboxer has since stepped up a gear, recording back-to-back TKO victories in impressive fashion against Jamey Simmons and then Cub Swanson, taking him to No.10 on the featherweight rankings, just one spot below Barboza.
Barboza vs. Chikadze will lead a UFC Fight Night 192 card that will also feature Kevin Lee vs Sean Brady and Sara McMann vs. Ketlen Vieira.
