5 UFC featherweights who could be a threat to Alexander Volkanovski's title

#4. Giga Chikadze – No.8-ranked UFC featherweight

Giga Chikadze probably has more momentum than any other featherweight in the UFC right now

While he’s only ranked at No.8 in the UFC featherweight division right now, few fighters at 145 pounds are currently riding as much momentum as Giga Chikadze. ‘Ninja’ is now 7-0 in the UFC and he’s currently on a three-fight finishing streak. And more to the point, his last two opponents, Cub Swanson and Edson Barboza, were supposed to be his toughest tests.

The Georgian certainly didn’t show that, though. Instead, he used his ruthless striking to blitz both men, taking them out in a wild rush of offense. Chikadze’s win over Barboza in particular was impressive, as he was faced with a highly dangerous striker in his own right. However, he showed the Brazilian no respect and eventually took him out in the third round.

Alexander Volkanovski has thus far shown himself to be a masterful striker and has proven himself against the likes of Brian Ortega and Max Holloway. But how would he do against the hyperactive kickboxing style of ‘Ninja’, a fighter who has arguably proven that he’s a more ruthless finisher than the champion inside the octagon?

The truth is that it’s hard to say, and that means that this prospective match would be highly intriguing, making Chikadze a genuine threat to ‘The Great’.

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#3. Arnold Allen - No.6-ranked UFC featherweight

Arnold Allen might be the biggest dark horse in the UFC's featherweight division

The biggest dark horse in the UFC featherweight division right now is undoubtedly Arnold Allen. ‘The Almighty’ is ranked at No.6 and yet it’s doubtful that most fans would understand quite how talented he is. That’s probably because the Englishman doesn’t have the most exciting fight style. In fact, he’s only finished two opponents in the UFC thus far.

However, it’s also worth noting that he remains unbeaten in the promotion and is now riding a ridiculous eight-fight winning streak dating back to 2015. A member of the famed Tristar Gym, the academy that produced the likes of Georges St-Pierre and Rory MacDonald, Allen has everything it takes to be a champion in the UFC.

Like Alexander Volkanovski, he has a highly technical stand-up game built largely around a ramrod jab. But ‘The Almighty’ can also grapple with the best of them, and out of his 17 career wins, four have come by submission, including two in the UFC.

The one knock on Allen is perhaps that he hasn’t been tested against an elite-level opponent yet. His best victory to date was over Sodiq Yusuff. However, if he can pick up one more big win, a UFC title shot could be in sight, making him a genuine threat to Volkanovski’s crown.