Joanderson Brito dismisses Giga Chikadze's striking ahead of UFC 331
The Brazilian fighter believes he has the tools to neutralize Giga Chikadze's kicking game when they meet in Los Angeles.
Joanderson Brito is not impressed by Giga Chikadze's striking ahead of UFC 331. The Brazilian will face the Georgian fighter on the preliminary card on Saturday in Los Angeles, confident that he can neutralize his opponent's game. Although he recognizes that Chikadze is a dangerous kicker, Brito believes he has developed the right strategy for the matchup.
Joanderson Brito Has Trained Against Similar Kickers
Aware he is going up against a striker known for an exceptional kicking game, Brito isn't too worried that his opponent's kicks will pose a major problem for him. The Brazilian pointed to his longtime training partner Melquizael Costa as someone who provides a similar challenge in training while also offering a more versatile kicking arsenal. Speaking to Ag Fight, Brito explained why he is confident he can neutralize Chikadze's biggest weapon.
"Giga is a guy who kicks a lot," Brito said. "I only see him kicking, I don't see anything else in him. Kick for kick, we have Melk Costa, who is a guy who kicks a lot and is very versatile with his kicking. I've been training with Melk for a long time. So, this game doesn't affect me that much. I'm going to stay tight, I'm going to corner him."
Joanderson Brito Sees Giga Chikadze's Struggles as an Advantage
Brito also believes Chikadze's recent struggles could play an important role in the matchup. The Georgian fighter is going through a rough stretch riding a three-fight losing streak, including a second-round knockout against Kevin Vallejos in December 2025, and has gone 1-4 in his last five appearances. With that in mind, the Brazilian expects the pressure to end his losing streak to force Chikadze to take unnecessary risks. In any case, Brito is confident that he will have an answer regardless of how his opponent approaches the fight.
"It's a crucial factor (Chikadze's bad moment)," Brito said. "It's bad for him, but it's good for me. That also makes me happy, knowing that he's already going into the fight with that mindset. We know he may want to give everything he has. But if he wants to give everything he has and gets in his own way, he can make mistakes, and I, as someone who always gives everything I have, it doesn't matter if I'm doing well or badly... In short, the matchup will favor me. If he comes toward me, he's going to get hit, and if he keeps running, he's going to get hit anyway."
Brito will look to make his confidence count when he faces Chikadze at UFC 331 on Saturday.
