"We'd love to see it!"- Chael Sonnen lobbies for Max Holloway vs Giga Chikadze to be booked; talks about how the fight could go down
Following a decisive victory at UFC Vegas 35 over a battle-hardened veteran of the fight game Edson Barboza, Giga Chikadze bolstered his stock, paving the way for bigger fights. Chael Sonnen, for one, believes the Georgian should now be tested against the likes of Max Holloway.
While in conversation with Jorge Sedano on The Chael Sonnen Show, the 44-year-old discussed why Chikadze should face Max Holloway next. He also admitted that the Georgian was a bit too hopeful calling out 'Blessed' for a fight before his encounter with Barboza.
However, having proved his mettle against the veteran Brazilian, Sonnen claimed that a fight against Max Holloway seems extremely enticing.
"Max vs Giga, once upon a time, you really didn't know what this guy was shooting for. Now, Max vs Giga? Come on, if we can get that sign Jorge, we'd love to see it," said Chael Sonnen.
How would Giga Chikadze fare in a fight against Max Holloway?
Following a successful outing at UFC Vegas 35, Giga Chikadze bolstered his record to a perfect 7-0 in the octagon. He now finds himself in prime position to call the shots, and it looks like he has fixed his aim at Max Holloway.
On the back of a resolute victory over Edson Barboza, Giga Chikadze has done enough for people to bet on him in a fight against Max Holloway. Chael Sonnen, echoing the same sentiment, opined that the Georgian could certainly hold his own against Max Holloway.
"I don't know that I would pick him to beat Max. But yes. Could he beat him? Absolutely! If Max Holloway, a former world champion, likely a future world champion, was to get that, Max would go deep into training. He would have to study Giga. He might even look to a Plan B which is trying to get Giga down to the ground. If that line came out today, it would only be a 2-1 favorite for Max which is a major compliment to Giga, considering a lot of people didn't even know who Giga was at this time a week ago," declared Chael Sonnen.
Having gone toe-to-toe with Edson Barboza, fans and pundits reckon Max Holloway will have to rely on the ground game should Giga Chikadze overpower him on the feet. However, count out Chikadze's ground and pound at your own peril.
Catch the entire segment with Chael Sonnen and Jorge Sedana right here: