Brito's coach called Chikadze's slip before it happened, sealing UFC 331 TKO

Joanderson Brito’s first-round TKO of Giga Chikadze at UFC 331 was not entirely a surprise to his corner — his coach had called the decisive moment before the opening bell even rang.

Brito (20-5) opened the featherweight card against Chikadze (15-7), who settled into his rhythm early with his trademark body kicks and a head kick that showed his usual sharpness. The turning point came when Chikadze slipped mid-kick, allowing Brito to swarm him, take top control and unload heavy ground-and-pound until the referee waved it off.

After the fight, Brito revealed that the slip was not entirely unexpected. Backstage before the bout, he and his coach noticed Chikadze drop water on his feet. Combined with the brand-new canvas — UFC 331 was the first fight of the night, meaning the mat had seen no wear — Brito’s corner put two and two together.

“We expected him to start kicking,” Brito said in his post-fight interview. “When we walked in, we knew the tarp was brand new; it could be a little slippery. Then we saw him drop some water on his feet. Then [coach] said, ‘Watch, cause he’s gonna slip.’”

The finish extended Brito’s winning streak to three fights inside the UFC, where he now holds an 8-3 record. Despite the momentum, the Brazilian is keeping his ambitions measured. Rather than targeting a title shot, he says his goal is to entrench himself among the featherweight elite in the manner that Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje — the latter recently crowned undisputed lightweight champion — have done at 155 pounds.

“Not really thinking about the belt or anything like that,” Brito added. “Just being in the Top 5. Guys like Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje — these guys have been in the Top 5 for so long; it’s inspiring. Because it’s almost like being a champion to hold yourself in that top fight.”