UFC 331: Brito Makes Chikadze Defend His Space

Giga Chikadze has changed the way he trains. Joanderson Brito will test whether he can still fight the way he wants in their UFC 331 bout.

At 38, Chikadze says he has finally accepted more recovery after years of pushing through multiple daily sessions. He enters healthy after withdrawing from an earlier booking with Vinicius Oliveira, but Saturday gives him a particularly unforgiving return: Brito brings pressure, takedowns and submissions directly into the long-range kickboxing game Chikadze prefers.

Bookmaker Sportsbook‘s opening line: Brito -400, Chikadze +317; Over 1.5 rounds -170, Under 1.5 +148. Pick: Brito -400.

Four Inches Disappear Against The Fence

Chikadze owns the obvious geometric advantage. He stands 6-foot with a 74-inch reach; Brito is 5-foot-8 with a 72-inch reach. At clean kickboxing distance, those dimensions amplify Chikadze’s kicks, timing and ability to make an opponent cross empty space.

Brito’s UFC numbers explain why the matchup does not stay that simple. He averages 3.38 takedowns per 15 minutes with 67 percent accuracy and has eight submission victories among his 19 professional wins. Chikadze’s takedown defense sits at 65 percent.

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Chikadze Changed Something Before Saturday

The interesting part of Chikadze’s camp is not another declaration that he feels fantastic. He admitted his approach to recovery had to change after physical problems accumulated as he aged. Instead of training relentlessly, he now listens when his coaches tell him to cut back on sessions or rest. That adjustment arrives after his December knockout loss to Kevin Vallejos and ahead of his first appearance of 2026.

That could preserve the movement Brito has to erase. It does not remove the underlying defensive problem.

Brito Can Threaten Two Different Exits

Brito’s finishing record is unusually balanced: eight knockouts and eight submissions. His June return against Jordan Leavitt ended with a first-round ninja choke, giving him his first victory after consecutive decision defeats.

That versatility matters more than raw aggression. Chikadze can punish reckless entries, but Brito can convert forward pressure into clinches and takedowns rather than repeatedly accepting a kickboxing exchange.

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Minus 400 Hides The Better Bet

Bookmaker Sportsbook‘s opening line makes Brito -400 and Chikadze +317. Brito is the technical pick because his pressure and grappling threaten the conditions Chikadze’s offense depends upon.

Fight prediction: Joanderson Brito by second-round submission.

But -400 leaves little room for Chikadze’s experience, length and striking craft.

Betting lean: Over 1.5 rounds (-170). Chikadze’s revised approach to recovery and 59 percent striking defense give him a plausible route through the opening exchanges, while Brito can progressively compress the cage rather than gamble everything on an immediate finish.

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