Giga Chikadze (image via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Now that Giga Chikadze has returned to the win column, the featherweight is calling for a fight with Yair Rodriguez.

Chikadze returned to the cage for the first time since January 2022, on Saturday and faced Alex Caceres. The noted striker worked his way to a unanimous decision win.

Following the victory, the Georgian fighter spoke with the UFC crew and relayed he wants to battle Rodriguez next (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“I want to fight in pay-per-view card in December,” Chikadze said. “I’ve never fought on a pay-per-view card, and I know it’s going to be a huge show. I want to be there and I want to compete against ‘El Pantera’ Yair Rodriguez.”

Chikadze (15-3) was coming off a decision loss to Calvin Kattar heading into Saturday’s UFC Singapore card. That loss snapped his nine-fight winning streak.

Rodriguez (15-4), meanwhile, was stopped by champion Alexander Volkanovski in his last outing, which took place in July. Rodriguez is 3-2 in his last 5 fights.

UFC 296 is scheduled to take place on December 16th in Las Vegas, Nevada.