The first UFC fight card of 2022 features two fantastic strikers in the featherweight division who will meet in the main event. Calvin Kattar returns to the Octagon for the first time in a year to take on rising star Giga Chikadze.
UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs Chikadze takes place on January 15 at the UFC Apex Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. When it comes to the Kattar vs Chikadze odds, Giga is the betting favorite.
You can see plenty of UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs Chikadze props at Sportsbook
The last time we saw Kattar, he was on the losing end of a unanimous decision to Max Holloway on January 16, 2021. In that bout, Holloway set a record for most strikes landed in a single bout (445), smashing the previous record of 290 – not a great look for Kattar.
Chikadze has tremendous momentum heading into this bout, having rattled off nine straight wins, including seven in the UFC, and scoring two knockout wins in 2021. The most recent came against Edson Barboza, landing Giga in this main event.
Kattar vs Chikadze Odds
Online sportsbook Sportsbook has released the Kattar vs Chikadze odds with Giga set as the -240 favorite and Calvin the +195 underdog. This means if you were to place a $240 winning bet on Chikadze, you would profit $100, while a $100 winning wager on Kattar would net you $195.
Furthermore, our sports betting calculator tells us that Chikadze’s odds translate to an implied win probability of 70.59 percent while Kattar’s odds represent an implied win probability of 33.90 percent.
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If you’re looking to add the biggest favorite in the UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs Chikadze odds to a parlay, you will be looking at the main event as Giga is the -240 chalk.
If you are looking for more value and want to wager on the fight with the tightest odds, check out Court McGee (-105) vs Ramiz Brahimaj (-110).
Kattar vs Chikadze Betting Odds & Fight Card
- Main Card
- Featherweight – Calvin Kattar (+195) vs Giga Chikadze (-240)
- Heavyweight – Chase Sherman (+110) vs Jake Collier (-130)
- Flyweight – Brandon Royval (-170) vs Rogerio Bontorin (+140)
- Women’s Flyweight – Katlyn Chookagian (-180) vs Jennifer Maia (+150)
- Lightweight – Dakota Bush (+165) vs Viacheslav Borshchev (-200)
- Featherweight – Bill Algeo (+110) vs Joanderson Brito (-130)
- Prelims
- Middleweight – Jamie Pickett (+130) vs Joseph Holmes (-150)
- Welterweight – Court McGee (-105) vs Ramiz Brahimaj (-110)
- Bantamweight – Brian Kelleher (-290) vs Kevin Croom (+235)
- Featherweight – Charles Rosa (-230) vs T.J. Brown (+190)
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- Date/Time: January 15, 4 p.m. ET
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
- Arena: UFC Apex
- Where to Watch: ESPN+
Calvin Kattar vs Giga Chikadze Odds & Prediction
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Calvin Kattar | +195 |
| Giga Chikadze | -240 |
Last year, Calvin “The Boston Finisher” Kattar (+195) may have been one win away from a title fight when he took on Max Holloway. Now, Giga “Ninja” Chikadze (-240) could be close to the same situation as he takes on Kattar and then maybe Holloway later in 2022 if he’s successful in this bout.
- The loss to Holloway snapped a two-fight winning streak, bringing his record to 22-5 overall. Eleven of his wins have come by knockout and he’s only been stopped once, by submission, way back in 2008.
- The narrative going into the Holloway fight was that Kattar might have the best boxing in the UFC, though that may have been dismissed after that beatdown. The Boston Finisher prefers striking and averages only 0.37 takedowns per 15 minutes.
- On the feet, Kattar lands an average of 5.07 significant strikes per minute but also absorbs 8.16, a number inflated by his last outing. Despite a high output, he’s only surpassed 100 significant strikes twice in his nine-fight UFC career.
- Because Calvin has high-level boxing skills, he at times neglects his other weapons such as kicks at distance and really has to close the distance to let his hands fly, but he will walk into shots upon entry.
- Kattar’s last three fights were Jeremy Stephens (win – knockout), Dan Ige (win – unanimous decision) and Max Holloway (loss – unanimous decision).
- Chikadze had a shot at the UFC back in 2018 when he lost in Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series; in fact, that was his last defeat. His record stands at 14-2 with nine knockout wins and one loss by finish – a submission.
- The self-proclaimed best striker in MMA certainly turned heads in his last two bouts, knocking out the tough Cub Swanson and then the dangerous Edson Barboza. Like Kattar, Chikadze averages only 0.33 takedowns per 15 minutes, preferring a standup battle.
- In striking territory, Giga is patient, averaging 3.76 significant strikes per minute while absorbing just 2.69 and making his opponents miss 61 percent of their attempts. He has knocked down each of his last five opponents at least once in their fights.
- One of Ninja’s best weapons is his “Giga kick,” a lightning-fast kick to the liver that he used to put Swanson away. He is long with a 74-inch reach and does a masterful job reading his opponents’ movement before letting his fight-ending strikes go.
- Chikadze’s last three fights were Jamey Simmons (win – knockout), Cub Swanson (win – knockout) and Edson Barboza (win – knockout).
Prediction: Giga Chikadze (-240) via knockout
Chase Sherman vs Jake Collier Odds & Prediction
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Chase Sherman | +110 |
| Jake Collier | -130 |
Heavyweights will open the first main card of 2022. Chase “The Vanilla Gorilla” Sherman (+110) will look to snap out of his two-fight losing streak and earn his first victory since May 2020. Similarly, Jake “The Prototype” Collier (-130) took a loss in his last outing via split decision to Carlos Felipe.
- Sherman was cut from the UFC following three straight losses but picked up three wins in six months to earn a contract again. Unfortunately, he’s gone 1-2 in his second stint in the UFC and is now 15-8 with 14 knockout wins and four losses in the same manner.
- For a heavyweight, the Vanilla Gorilla has a great output of 6.24 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 6.33 and has surpassed 100 significant strikes three times in his UFC career.
- One of his biggest downfalls is his lack of footwork to get out of danger after landing a strike, often staying in the pocket and making himself extremely vulnerable to counters. That said, he does his best work if he stays active in the pocket.
- Sherman’s last three fights were Ike Villanueva (win – knockout), Andrei Arlovski (loss – unanimous decision) and Parker Porter (loss – unanimous decision).
- Not only did Collier lose his last fight but he’s been on a win-one, lose-one streak over his nine-fight UFC career. He holds a 12-6 record overall with eight stoppages, including five knockouts. Four of his defeats have been finishes, including three knockouts.
- The Prototype has secured takedowns in the past, though infrequently, averaging 0.48 takedowns per 15 minutes; his last one came back in 2016. In striking, he averages 5.52 significant strikes per minute and absorbs 4.44, landing over 100 significant strikes in his last two outings.
- He used to fight at 185 and although his weight has increased, his speed has remained for the most part, though the cardio has dipped. Collier mixes up his strikes well, throwing plenty of kicks at distance and big powerful hooks in the pocket.
- Collier’s last three fights were Tom Aspinall (loss – knockout), Gian Villante (win – unanimous decision) and Carlos Felipe (loss – split decision).
Prediction: Jake Collier (-130) via decision
Brandon Royval vs Rogerio Bontorin Odds & Prediction
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Brandon Royval | -170 |
| Rogerio Bontorin | +140 |
Following back-to-back wins to start his UFC career, Brandon “Raw Dawg” Royval (-170) enters this contest having lost his last two. A similar story can be written of Rogerio Bontorin (+140), who picked up a win in his last appearance following two straight defeats.
- Before his recent two losses, Royval had won four in a row, the longest winning streak of his career. His record stands at 12-6 with eight submission wins while he’s only been finished twice – once by knockout and once by submission.
- Evident with 67 percent of his wins coming by submissions, Raw Dawg has a great ground game, securing 1.16 takedowns per 15 minutes, and has a 100 percent takedown rate over four UFC bouts.
- The southpaw isn’t afraid to mix it up on the feet either as he marches forward throwing plenty of volume and has outstanding conditioning. At times, he does get caught leaving his strikes a little long, which makes him vulnerable to counters.
- Royval’s last three fights were Kai Kara France (win – submission), Brandon Moreno (loss – knockout) and Alexandre Pantoja (loss – submission).
- Bontorin’s loss in 2020 to Ray Borg was his first since 2017, snapping a winning streak of four fights. He has an impressive record of 17-3 with one no contest and 11 submission victories. Two of his losses have been finishes – one knockout and one submission.
- Like Royval, Bontorin loves to grapple, earning 1.68 takedowns per 15 minutes, and searches for submissions constantly on the floor. He’s a thick flyweight, which helps with his elite squeeze in submissions.
- The orthodox fighter loads up on big strikes but often throws just one at a time rather than putting together combinations. He’s never had a very high output so it should be interesting to see how he deals with the pace of Royval.
- Bontorin’s last three fights were Ray Borg (loss – unanimous decision), Kai Kara France (loss – knockout) and Matt Schnell (win – unanimous decision).
Prediction: Brandon Royval (-170) via submission
Katlyn Chookagian vs Jennifer Maia Odds & Prediction
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Katlyn Chookagian | -180 |
| Jennifer Maia | +150 |
Two former strawweight championship contenders will meet with aspirations of taking on Valentina Shevchenko again in 2022. After losing to the champ, Jennifer Maia (+150) returned to the win column with a decision win over Jessica Eye. Katlyn “Blonde Fighter” Chookagian (-180) is 3-1 since her loss to Shevchenko and has a win over Maia back in 2019.
- Chookagian has four career losses, all in the Octagon, and they have come against the current champ and three other challengers. Overall, she’s 16-4 with 13 wins by decision and has two stoppage losses, both by knockout.
- The Blonde Fighter is primarily a striker, averaging only 0.25 takedowns per 15 minutes. She has actually landed takedowns in only one fight, when she secured three against Antonina Shevchenko.
- She had her highest output in her last outing, landing 127 significant strikes. Katlyn is a good defensive fighter, always throwing a front kick or long straight punches when her foes move toward her. If she has space, she does a great job moving in and out, landing and avoiding strikes coming back.
- Chookagian’s last three fights were Jessica Andrade (loss – knockout), Cynthia Calvillo (win – unanimous decision) and Viviane Araujo (win – unanimous decision).
- Maia has struggled to find consistency in the UFC, sporting a 4-3 record since 2018. Her overall record is now 19-7 with nine stoppage victories (four knockouts, five submissions) and she has only been stopped twice – once by knockout and once by submission.
- Maia has a strong top game when it comes to grappling but has some difficulties getting the fight there, averaging 0.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and securing 50 percent of her attempts. In terms of striking, she mostly head-hunts and often throws a punch while absorbing one at the same time.
- In their first fight, Jennifer had some success but struggled to close the distance and she needed more lateral movement to open angles to land. I also think she was a little too patient – if she had put her head down and marched forward, she could have been more successful.
- Maia’s last three fights were Joanne Wood (win – submission), Valentina Shevchenko (loss – unanimous decision) and Jessica Eye (win – unanimous decision).
Prediction: Katlyn Chookagian (-180) via decision
Dakota Bush vs Viacheslav Borshchev Odds & Prediction
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Dakota Bush | +165 |
| Viacheslav Borshchev | -200 |
Following a knockout win in Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series in October, Viacheslav “Slava Claus” Borshchev (-200) is making his UFC debut. He will be taking on Dakota Bush (+165), who dropped his UFC debut last April.
- Bush had been on a two-fight winning streak prior to losing his UFC debut via decision. Overall, he’s 8-3 with six finish victories (four submissions, two knockouts) while all three defeats have been decisions.
- He has a very wide stance and uses it to fight long with snappy jabs and good kicks. Dakota is an active fighter, not wasting any time feeling out his opponent, but rather closing the distance and trading hands.
- At times, Bush will dip and lead into close distance headfirst, which is a dangerous tactic. That said, he will use that approach to come over the top with a big overhand strike, a spinning attack or a takedown attempt. He also has a noticeable reset, composing himself when he takes a step back, and can be attacked at that moment.
- Bush’s last three fights were Brian Del Rosario (win – submission), Austin Clem (win – knockout) and Austin Hubbard (loss – unanimous decision).
- That DWTNCS victory was also Borshchev’s third victory in a row. He is still new in his career with a record of 5-1, including four wins by knockout and one loss by decision.
- Slava Claus is a Team Alpha Male guy so his opponents will have to be wary of the guillotine choke, which is common out of that gym along with great defensive wrestling.
- On the feet, he’s very fast and has great kicks. Along with his power kicks, he has a strong jab down the pipe like a piston. When his foes engage with him, he mixes up great combinations from uppercuts to hooks, all with ferocious power.
- Borshchev’s last three fights were Corey Dulaney (win – knockout), Kendly St. Louis (win – knockout) and Chris Duncan (win – knockout).
Prediction: Viacheslav Borshchev (-200) via knockout
Bill Algeo vs Joanderson Brito Odds & Prediction
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Bill Algeo | +110 |
| Joanderson Brito | -130 |
Joanderson “Tubarao” Brito (-130) is set to make his UFC debut after earning a contract in Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series in August 2021. A fellow DWTNCS alum will stand across from him in Bill “Senor Perfecto” Algeo (+110), who is just 1-2 in his UFC performances.
- Algeo was unsuccessful in his DWTNCS appearance but got into the UFC during the pandemic, though it hasn’t gone his way since. Overall, he’s 14-6 with nine stoppages (three knockouts, six submissions) while only being finished twice, both times by submission.
- Senor Perfecto has gone the distance in all four of his bouts in the Octagon, including the Contender Series, and is 1-3 in those fights. However, he has outstruck three of those four foes, averaging 6.37 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 4.87.
- His issue comes in the grappling department as he stuffs only 55 percent of takedown attempts and has been taken down a combined 20 times in those four bouts in the Octagon. He’s very elusive and skilled on the feet but needs to do a better job stuffing takedowns.
- Algeo’s last three fights were Ricardo Lamas (loss – unanimous decision), Spike Carlyle (win – unanimous decision) and Ricardo Ramos (loss – unanimous decision).
- Not only did Brito win his Contender Series appearance but he enters this fight on a 10-fight winning streak. His record is 12-2-1 with 10 finishes (five knockouts, five submissions) and both of his losses have been stoppages – a knockout and a submission.
- Tubarao is very aggressive either on the floor or on the feet. He has a tremendous blast double-leg takedown which Algeo must watch out for, but even if the fight remains standing, Brito has creative attacks.
- In his Contender Series fight, he outstruck his opponent 44-20 while landing three takedowns on four attempts en route to a technical decision in the third round following an accidental eye poke. Brito does throw big shots which he loads up on, but he typically strings the combination into the takedown attempt.
- Brito’s last three fights were Estabili Amato (win – submission), Jose Mariscal (win – knockout) and Diego Lopez (win – technical decision).
Prediction: Joanderson Brito (-130) via decision
UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs Chikadze Best Bets
| Fighter | Odds |
| Featherweight – Giga Chikadze | -240 |
| Heavyweight – Jake Collier | -130 |
| Flyweight – Brandon Royval | -170 |
| Women’s Flyweight – Katlyn Chookagian | -180 |
| Lightweight – Viacheslav Borshchev | -200 |
| Featherweight – Joanderson Brito | -130 |
