Joanderson Brito Sees UFC 331 as the End of Giga Chikadze's Run

Joanderson Brito doesn't do subtle. Six of his seven UFC wins have ended inside the distance, and heading into his UFC 331 prelim bout against Giga Chikadze on Saturday in Los Angeles, the Chute Boxe man expects another one. Beat the former GLORY kickboxer and Brito stretches his current run to three straight — enough, he figures, to force his way into the 145-pound rankings conversation.

Chikadze arrives on the other end of the spectrum. The 38-year-old Georgian is riding the worst stretch of his career, three losses on the bounce to Arnold Allen, David Onama and Kevin Vallejos. Brito reads the matchup exactly how the promotion drew it up: veteran name, vulnerable timing, prospect looking to cash in. In his words, this is the UFC handing him a gateway and telling him to go make something of it.

The Finisher's Case

Brito believes he can put Chikadze away standing or on the mat at any moment. He's candid about the shape of his game too — his first and second rounds carry the most venom, but he says he can hold a heavy pace into the third if needed. The stated goal is simple: get out before the final bell.

History says Chikadze is a tough out. He's only been finished twice in MMA — the recent Vallejos knockout and a 2018 Contender Series submission loss to Austin Springer. That's the exact kind of durability a prospect wants to test his ceiling against, and Brito, who beat future two-time title challenger Diego Lopes on the Contender Series himself, isn't shy about the assignment.

Mileage Over Rankings

For a guy chasing a ranked spot, Brito insists the number next to his name isn't the point. He's been in the UFC five years and says he's only fought twice a year — not by choice. If it were up to him, he'd fight three or four times annually, and he blames the schedule on opponents dodging well-rounded fighters like himself. His priority right now, plainly, is activity.

The rankings frustration is fair. Brito climbed to No. 14 off five straight stoppages, slipped to No. 15 on an update, then dropped out entirely — the reward, apparently, for a fighter who almost never sees the judges. As for what's next, he's keeping it loose but floated David Onama, the versatile ranked featherweight who hasn't fought since Steve Garcia knocked him out last November. True to form, Brito thinks he'd finish him too — and most of the top 15 while he's at it.