Giga Chikadze was frustrated waiting for the next UFC spot after an 18-month layoff with five surgeries

LAS VEGAS – Giga Chikadze is getting tired of waiting for his next assignment.

UFC featherweight contender Chikadze (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) hasn’t seen action since a unanimous decision loss to Calvin Kattar at UFC on ESPN 32 in January 2022. ready to compete for over a year.

Chikadze said he has been lined up for fights against Sodiq Ysuff, Chan Sung Jung and Brian Ortega during his retirement, but each opponent was injured, further delaying his return.

Now he is left in a state of limbo, and is not sure what to do next.

“It’s been a year and a half that I’ve been trying to get a fight,” Chikadze told MMA Junkie Radio at UFC X Radio Row earlier this month. “It’s a bit frustrating because I’ve been training for a year and two months to prepare for the fight. It’s like a camp, a 14-month camp that I’ve been preparing for. During that time, people usually get a lot of injuries. I’m still good. I’m just waiting to come back.

“Fighters are also declining and fighters they offered me, they were wounded. Sodiq was injured. Also, ‘Zombie’ got hurt, then they recorded with another guy. Then Ortega, he had an injury before. Now I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Before his loss against Kattar, which was his only loss inside the octagon, Chikadze had won seven in a row under the UFC banner at 145 pounds. He will be 35 next month, which means time is of the essence to get back to work.

To hear more from Chikadze, watch the full interview above.

Story first appeared on MMA Junkie