While many parents try to protect their children and prohibit them from engaging in violence, Giga Chikadze had the opportunity to aim for the championship belt right after he was born. With blessings from his father, he began training from quite a tender age. However, that wasn’t enough to put him on the champion’s mantle. But we can’t say that he’s not on the right path. After all, climbing to the top 10 in the UFC rankings is a part of the process.
But today, let us take a deep dive into the mixed martial artist’s personal life, as questions about his origins begin circling around the internet. Let’s get right into it!
Where is Giga Chikadze from? Ethnicity and nationality
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Chikadze was born on the 25th of August, 1988, in Tbilisi, now known as Georgia. Back then it was a part of the Soviet Union. Fighting in the featherweight division as one of the best in the category, Chikadze is on the path of fulfilling his father’s prediction. Wait, you didn’t know? Right after ‘Ninja’ was born, his father held him outside the hospital and claimed, “Giga Chikadze was born here, son of Zaza. In this very hospital. My first-born son. The future World Champion in Judo, swimming. A good fighter and a good man.”
Even though he is yet to become a champion, Chikadze has grabbed the spot of the 9th-best featherweight fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Before he stepped into the UFC, ‘Ninja’ fought in Glory Kickboxing, World Series of Fighting, and Dana White’s Contender Series. While he largely impressed the fighting community with his skills at Glory, he wasn’t able to do so at Dana White’s Contender Series. But when he entered the UFC after winning a couple of fights at Gladiator Challenge, he struck like lightning and made a name for himself. With 8 wins and just one loss in the UFC, Chikadze surely made his dad proud.
As a child, Chikadze was greatly influenced by Jet Li and Bruce Lee, and their action-packed movies. He began training in karate from an early age of 4. Needless to say, his father’s prediction also played a major role in his entry into the realm of martial arts. Now, the Georgian mixed martial artist holds a record of 15 wins and 3 losses in MMA.
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Chikadze’s fighting prowess ensured his professional life was put on the documents. But do you know about his personal life? Let’s get to know the Georgian fighter’s parents.
All we know about Giga Chikadze’s parents
We know how big of a role Zaza Chikadze played in ‘Ninja’s MMA career. But unfortunately, his mother wasn’t able to witness his progress in the MMA world. Chikadze’s mother lost her fight against breast cancer, back in 2013. Without a doubt, she was one of the biggest supporters of the Georgian fighter. The very next year, ‘Ninja’ continued the family’s fight against cancer and decided to knock the deadly disease out cold. He kickstarted the Knockout Cancer Foundation which helps patients with their treatment, checkups, and tests, as well as rehabilitation.
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This charity work garnered the attention of the big guns, as he was awarded the ‘Forrest Griffin Community Award’ a couple of years ago. The support he received from his family is a testament to the strength that strong family bonds provide to MMA athletes, don’t you think? Now, as Chikadze gets ready to face Arnold Allen at UFC 304, he will definitely have his parents’ blessings.
What are your thoughts on Chikadze’s family? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.