High-Level Fights Coming To UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs Chikadze
Crucial Divisional Matchups Join The First Card Of The Year In Hopes Of Starting 2022 Off Right
The 2022 UFC slate kicks off with a banger of a featherweight main event when Massachusetts-native Calvin Kattar squares off against Georgian kickboxing ace Giga Chikadze in the UFC Apex on January 15.
Not only will they look to start their year off right, but so will a bevy of other fighters on the card.
A notably women’s flyweight tie goes down when former title challengers Katlyn Chookagian and Jennifer Maia face each other about two years after their first matchup at UFC 244. The bout could prove pivotal in the flyweight title picture as Valentina Shevchenko continues her reign of dominance over the division.
Since falling to Shevchenko, Chookagian reasserted herself as one of the best in the division, dispatching Antonina Shevchenko, Cynthia Calvillo and Viviane Araújo and thwarting their attempted climbs to the title picture. Maia bounced back from her title shot to outpoint Jessica Eye at UFC 264 and is keen on avenging her loss to Chookagian.
In other flyweight business, Brandon Royval and Rogerio Bontorin return to try to gain some traction in their division’s title picture before the trilogy bout between Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueredo at UFC 270.
Royval is coming off back-to-back losses to Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja – not bad losses in any sense – but needs a win to prevent slipping any further down the ladder. Bontorin halted his own losing streak when he beat Matt Schnell via decision at UFC 262.
Other Fights Coming to UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs Chikadze
