A single loss can be a major setback in a deep and competitive division. On Saturday night, Edson Barboza and Giga Chikadze will look to avoid that fate when they clash in the featherweight main event of UFC Fight Night from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Barboza is looking to pick up his third straight win, battling back from a stretch in which he went on a 1-5 skid. Those losses came against some of the toughest opposition possible, including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje and Paul Felder. In 2020, Barboza made the move from lightweight to featherweight, losing a split decision to Dan Ige before picking up a decision win over Makwan Amirkhani and a knockout of Shane Burgos.
Chikadze has not faced the same elite level of competition as Barboza, but he is undefeated in the UFC with a perfect 6-0 record in the Octagon. His last setback was a submission loss on Dana White’s Contender Series, but back-to-back wins on the regional scene in less than one minute combined landed Chikadze on the UFC roster. Chikadze’s results have been increasingly impressive, moving from a pair of split decisions to a pair of unanimous decisions and now back-to-back TKO victories.
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The card will also feature the final bouts from this season’s “The Ultimate Fighter.” Bryan Battle and Gilbert Urbina will meet in the middleweight finals and Ricky Turcois takes on Brady Hiestand in the bantamweight finals.
Plus, the undercard also sees the return of Kevin Lee when he takes on Daniel Rodriguez at welterweight. Lee, who once challenged Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight crown, looks to get back on track following a second run at 155 pounds. Lee holds a 2-4 record since October 2017 and has been finished in three of those losses. He was expected to face Sean Brady in this spot, but Brady suffered an injury in training camp and was forced to withdraw.
Here’s the fight card for UFC Fight Night with the latest odds from Caesars Sportsbook.
UFC Fight Night card, odds
|
Edson Barboza -120 |
Giga Chikadze +100 |
Featherweight |
|
Bryan Battle -170 |
Gilbert Urbina +145 |
The Ultimate Fighter middleweight final |
|
Ricky Turcios -160 |
Brady Hiestand +135 |
The Ultimate Fighter bantamweight final |
| Kevin Lee -155 | Daniel Rodriguez +130 |
Welterweight |
| Andre Petroski -500 |
Micheal Gillmore +380 |
Middleweight |
| Makhmud Muradov -575 |
Gerald Meerschaert +425 |
Middleweight |
UFC Fight Night viewing information
Date: Aug. 28 | Start time: 10 p.m. ET
Location: UFC Apex — Las Vegas
TV Channel: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Prediction
Edson Barboza vs. Giga Chikadze: Barboza has been impressive since his move to 145 pounds, finding new life in the lower weight class. Chikadze has grown as a fighter and in confidence as he has gotten more UFC rounds under his belt. Barboza is a big step up in level of competition for Chikadze, but Chikadze has proven capable of making every leap so far. Where Barboza has the edge is in how dynamic his offense can be. Chikadze is likely to have success early in the fight, but Barboza can survive bad spots and has a punishing offense that could break Chikadze down over 25 minutes. Pick: Edson Barboza via TKO4
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