When the UFC wraps up its 2025 calendar, it’s doing so with both a major broadcast transition and a featherweight showdown between two fighters at dramatically different points in their careers. The addition of Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos to the Dec. 13 Fight Night 266 card underscores a compelling story woven through contrasting momentum, fresh beginnings, and an era-ending moment for the promotion.
Giga Chikadze’s Journey: Flashes of Brilliance, Recent Setbacks
Few featherweights have experienced the exhilarating highs and demoralizing lows seen in Chikadze’s UFC tenure. After igniting the division with a 7-0 UFC run—capped by three consecutive post-fight knockout bonuses and a Fight of the Night war against Calvin Kattar—Chikadze looked every bit like a future title challenger.
Just LISTEN to this Giga Kick to the liver 😳@Giga_Chikadze fights for the first time this year at #UFCSingapore Saturday!
[ 8am ET / 5am PT Main Card | Live on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/B2kV1m2XtX
— UFC (@ufc) August 23, 2023
Yet, MMA’s cruel design has manifested in his recent four-fight stretch. At 37, Chikadze’s 2025 campaign has been marked by three defeats in his last four contests, including a tough, closely-fought decision loss to David Onama in April—a bout where the Georgian missed weight for the first time in his promotional career. That mishap raised questions about his longevity and motivation heading into the home stretch of his career.
While still dangerous, Chikadze is fighting not just for a win but for validation that his best days aren’t necessarily behind him. This showcase marks a pivotal crossroads for his legacy and continued relevance within the featherweight division.
Kevin Vallejos Ascends: Youth, Power, and Opportunity
Across the Octagon will stand the 24-year-old phenom Kevin Vallejos, whose rapid rise has injected new blood into the featherweight landscape. The Argentine talent bounced back from a 2023 Dana White’s Contender Series loss—handed to him by Jean Silva—by securing a UFC contract with a 2024 win over Cam Teague.
Vallejos’ promotional debut couldn’t have been scripted better: a first-round knockout against Seung Woo Choi announced his arrival in March. He’d quickly follow up with a hard-fought decision win over Danny Silva in August, marking his fifth consecutive victory and leaving observers convinced his upside is among the highest at 145 pounds.
The finishes keep coming at #UFCVegas104. Kevin Vallejos finishes Seung Woo Choi in the opening round. pic.twitter.com/YwMzXnqaQW
— Superbeast MMA (@Superbeast_MMA) March 15, 2025
Having turned 24 just days before the December bout, Vallejos enters UFC Fight Night 266 as the division’s fast-rising star—poised, hungry, and ready to test himself against a proven name whose resume commands respect.
Confirmed Bouts for UFC Vegas 112
The Dec. 13 card in Las Vegas is more than just a curtain call for the UFC’s ESPN era—it’s a showcase of emerging talents, divisional intrigue, and careers in flux. Here are the confirmed matchups shaping UFC Vegas 112:
- Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape – Main Event
- Iasmin Lucindo vs. Gillian Robertson
- Tereza Bleda vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth
- Steven Asplund vs. Sean Sharaf
- Cesar Almeida vs. Cezary Oleksiejczuk
- AJ Frye vs. Guilherme Pat
- Morgan Charriere vs. Melquizael Costa
- Giga Chikadze vs. Kevin Vallejos
The Broadcast Finale: UFC’s ESPN Swan Song
UFC Vegas 112’s significance extends beyond individual matchups. The Dec. 13 event is set to be the last UFC card broadcast exclusively on ESPN+, ending a partnership that has been synonymous with the sport’s mainstream rise since its 2019 debut. With the promotion making a highly-publicized move to Paramount+ in 2026, this finale serves as both a celebration and a transition for fans and fighters alike.
Las Vegas’ UFC Apex will host the action, offering a fittingly intimate yet electric atmosphere for a card balancing established names and future contenders. As negotiations, contracts, and broadcasting rights shift behind the scenes, fighters like Chikadze and Vallejos understand that every performance, especially on a high-profile stage, now means more than ever.
For Chikadze, the bout is an opportunity to recapture the narrative, reaffirm his technical mastery, and remind the division he’s not a footnote but a force. For Vallejos, beating a longtime contender would rocket him toward ranked opposition and cement his reputation as featherweight’s next breakout name.
The supporting card adds further intrigue: Royval and Kape could find themselves within striking range of gold, the women’s flyweight matches suggest future title contention, and promising newcomers have a chance to seize spotlight moments that could propel their careers into 2026.
As the UFC closes out a landmark broadcasting era, Fight Night 266 offers a final, clarifying look at the directional shifts—both within the Octagon and outside it. Whether Chikadze finds redemption or Vallejos rides his momentum into stardom, the stage is set for a memorable conclusion to the year’s MMA storylines.
