About this episode
UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze joins CJ Perry and Jonathan Saba on the Identity Crisis podcast! Giga opens up about the brutal Calvin Kattar war, the "Giga Kick," and what it might look like if he were to fight Miro?! Days before his fight against Kevin Vallejos, "The Giga Chad" himself, Giga Chikadze. The Georgian kickboxing legend and UFC star shares the incredible story of how he badgered Dana White and Sean Shelby to get his shot in the Octagon, culminating in a career-defining run. Giga gets real about the physical toll of his "Fight of the Year" contender against Calvin Kattar, revealing the extent of his injuries and the mutual respect shared in the hospital afterward. He also discusses his strict Orthodox Christian fasting routine, comparing notes with CJ on her husband Miro’s extreme weight cuts. Plus, Giga talks about opening his new striking gym in Orange County, his "Knockout Cancer" charity honoring his late mother, and why he finally unleashed "The Giga Show" heel persona. Follow Giga Chikadze - https://www.instagram.com/knockoutcancer Follow Us: INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/identitycrisispodcast TIKTOK ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@identitycrisispodcast SPOTIFY ➤ https://open.spotify.com/show/2jpWn23wgVjNADo8Ua48TH CJ : INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/thecjperry TIKTOK ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@cjperrytiktok X ➤ https://x.com/TheCJPerry JONATHAN: INSTAGRAM ➤ https://www.instagram.com/jonathanmsaba This Podcast is Produced by CJ Perry, Jonathan Saba, Ryan Lu, & Passes, Production Assistant Minna, And Show Writer Paul O’Brien. Production and Post by Rainbow Creative with Executive Producer Matthew “MoJo” Jones and Editing by Nathan Wheatley at Rainbow Creative. 00:00 - Intro & "The Giga Chad" 01:26 - Hypothetical Fight: Giga vs. Miro 07:01 - How Giga Forced His Way into the UFC 19:23 - The "Draw" Mistake: A Ruined Celebration 23:56 - The Calvin Kattar War: Injuries & Aftermath 27:21 - The "Post-Fight Blues" & Dopamine Crashes 31:56 - Opening a Striking Gym in Orange County 35:15 - "The Giga Show": Creating a Heel Persona 40:04 - Real Life Beefs & Street Fights