Giga Chikadze planning to submit Omar Morales to show off improved ground game on Fight Island

Giga Chikadze hopes to show everyone he isn’t just a kickboxer.

When Chikadze signed with the UFC, he was a decorated kickboxer, and in his first three UFC fights he was able to show off his striking. Yet, many thought he would be able to show off his ground game against Alex Caceres. Unfortunately, Chikadze had tested positive for COVID-19 leaving that fight to be canceled.

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“That is what I was hoping. This is a fight I was looking forward to for a long time,” Chikadze said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “When I was in my home country of Georgia I used to watch him with my buddies and he was an exciting fighter. It would’ve been a nice striking fight for the fans.”

Now, Chikadze is healthy and on Fight Island to welcome the undefeated, Omar Morales to the featherweight division. Although Morales is supposed to be striker, Chikadze expects his opponent to shoot on a takedown early and often.

“This fight won’t be different. Every person I fight will try to take me down, Morales won’t be any different,” he said.

Yet, even though Giga Chikadze expects Morales to shoot on him, he says he might be the one to initiate the ground game to show off his jiu-jitsu. He has been the main training partner of Beneil Dariush for years. So, he wants to show off his ground game by submitting Omar Morales.

“He will strike with me for a little bit. He thinks I will engage in a back-and-forth striking exchange then he will try to take me down,” Chikadze said. “I’ll just defend his takedown and see if I have the opportunity I will take him down and look for the submission. If not, I will try to knock him out on the feet. I’ve been in the Octagon for 45 minutes, those 45 minutes I needed to get comfortable.”

Do you think Giga Chikadze will submit Omar Morales on Fight Island?