Giga Chikadze has backed Alexander Volkanovski to beat Brian Ortega in their upcoming title fight - but admits he won't be surprised 'if Brian gets the job done'.
This Saturday night, Australian MMA fighter Volkanovski, 32, will defend his UFC featherweight title against Ortega in Las Vegas at UFC 266.
And despite leaning towards Volkanovski when asked which of his rivals will have his hand raised, Chikadze believes Ortega is more than capable of causing an upset.
"At least both of them are shorter guys, you know, strong style," Chikadze told MMA Fighting.
"If I wouldn't see Brian's last performance, I would definitely give this fight to Volkanovski.
"But we've seen how Brian progressed, we've seen his boxing.
"So his strategy was very good when he fought 'Zombie' and I don't know man, it's a very tough one.
"I still having Volk in this fight but I will not be surprised if Brian gets the job done."
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Chikadze (14-2), 33, is coming off a knockout victory over former Muay Thai kickboxer Edson Barboza and the Georgian mixed martial artist has made it clear he wants to face the winner of Volkanovski and Ortega's featherweight clash for the title in the future.
And he believes that he not only has the best striking in the featherweight division, but also the whole of the UFC, including UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
“I believe I’m the best striker inside the whole martial arts world right now,” Chikadze continued.
“What I’ve done in all different sports. I came from the karate background and became the multi-time national champion, European champion, world champion twice.
"Then I moved from this sport. I moved from this sport into kickboxing. I became a two-time world champion, two-time European champion and I’m talking about highest level of the sport.
"I was fighting in GLORY, I was beating people right there, everybody was running from me in the organization of GLORY kickboxing.
“Now I’m in the UFC and everybody is not accepting the fight against me. Everyone wants to say [something] somehow and don’t fight me, ignore me.
"Who’s a better striker right now in the whole game? Israel Adesanya is a very good style fighter in striking.
"There are a couple of more but whatever I’ve done on resume on numbers, there is nobody like me.”
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