If there’s one factor to learn about Dan Ige, he’s at all times able to battle.
Contemplating he accepted a battle in opposition to Diego Lopes on about three hours’ discover at UFC 303, it’s robust to think about Ige would each shrink back from any opponent or supply the promotion made to him. Simply after practically pulling off the upset over Lopes again in June, Ige made a request to get a slot on the UFC 306 card in September, which was scheduled to happen at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Regardless of his finest efforts to safe an opponent for that date, Ige says a battle by no means materialized.
“The night time of the battle [UFC matchmakers] advised me they had been going to work on one thing,” Ige advised MMA Preventing. “I noticed fights beginning to get introduced. I used to be simply form of sitting and ready after which I noticed [Dana White] was going to announce the Noche card. I used to be at power and conditioning, it was a Friday, and he stated he was going to announce it. So I used to be like possibly I’m on it. Possibly I simply don’t know. Let’s see what occurs.
“They find yourself asserting the cardboard. Simply issues didn’t work out for me to go on the market and battle a Mexican fighter. There wasn’t a fighter obtainable. We had been asking for Yair [Rodriguez] as a result of he’s one man within the prime 15 exterior of [Brian] Ortega and Lopes, who had been already going to battle. He was on the checklist however he wasn’t prepared till like November or December. So we simply moved on.”
Ige finally acquired a suggestion to face Lerone Murphy at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi and he wasted no time accepting the matchup.
After all there was a second as he was flying midway throughout the globe to get to the occasion the place Ige thought he had one other opponent change when an inaccurate report began circulating that Murphy was out and he was being changed by Brazilian prospect Jean Silva.
“I used to be actually on the aircraft. I used to be out flying over the Atlantic ocean at that time and I noticed the tweet and I’m like what is that this?” Ige stated. “Then I began getting hit by reporters. I went and tweeted ‘faux information’ as a result of I didn’t hear nothing. I’m truly going and looking out, checking my emails. There’s no emails. I texted Sean Shelby, I’m like I’m attempting to take a nap proper now. I’m like bro, is that this actual? I’m getting hit up by reporters and he stated faux. It’s what it’s.
“I’d have been prepared. As a result of I didn’t come all this solution to not battle. No matter, it’s what’s. We’re combating Saturday, whoever it’s. I’ll be prepared.”
Whereas he gladly would have accepted anyone as an opponent, Ige is clearly blissful that didn’t occur as a result of going through an undefeated contender like Murphy offers him an opportunity to take an even bigger step ahead in his profession.
“We bought the Lerone Murphy [fight]. It’s a giant battle on an impressive pay-per-view,” Ige stated. “For my part, this PPV, this card, this lineup is stacked. It’s an thrilling battle card. It’s a giant battle card proper in the midst of a PPV so I actually haven’t any complaints and I get to battle up in rankings.”
Ige was beforehand scheduled to face Murphy earlier this yr however an damage knocked the British featherweight out of the battle.
Now Ige is happy to lastly face him, particularly after Murphy scored a formidable win over Edson Barboza again in Could.
“Lerone was a man we had been taking a look at as a result of we had been beforehand booked after which him being ranked forward of me,” Ige stated. “So I knew he was an choice. Even guys ranked behind me, it doesn’t matter. I fought the who’s who. I fought guys arising. I’ve given lots of guys probabilities proper to battle into the rankings.
“For me to go on the market and battle a No. 11 man and provides myself that chance to climb the ladder once more, I can’t complain about it.”
