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Dan Ige is set to make his bantamweight debut at Noche UFC.
Ige is set to take on David Martinez in an intriguing fight as the Hawaiian is getting a ranked opponent right away. However, the process to this point wasn’t easy, as Ige didn’t even think bantamweight was possible or something he wanted to do.
“To be completely honest, there was a time I told myself I would never consider it, and I thought I’d fight at lightweight before I fought at bantamweight,” Ige said on Just Scrap Radio on BJEPNN.com. “After my fight, I had some time off dealing with some injuries. A month after my fight, I was still at my fight-week weight. It got me thinking about bantamweight, and I talked to the people at the PI, my team, and the UFC, and it became a move for personal challenge and a business move.”
After being told he could make 135lbs, he began the process of getting ready for the move. Although he is dropping weight, during this game, he broke all his speed and records at the PI, which gave him confidence to ask for David Martinez.
“They asked me what I want and if I want to go for the top right away,” Ige said. “You put someone in front of me, I am probably going to say yes. I told them anyway I’d fight anyone in or outside the rankings. The day after my test cut, they had some UFC bantamweight fights, and there was an unranked guy who won, and I said to Sean Shelby, ‘What do you think about this guy?’ He said he wanted to get me someone ranked, and I brought up David Martinez and Noche, and they thought it was a great idea.”
Dan Ige expects a ‘war’ at Noche UFC
Although Dan Ige knows David Martinez is a tough opponent for his bantamweight debut at Noche UFC, he is looking forward to the bout. And he has full confidence he won’t just be able to pull off the upset, but will get a stoppage win to send a statement to the bantamweight division.
“We will make it fun,” Ige said. “He moves a lot, he kicks a lot, he’s very evasive, and has good timing. Just finding my traps and setting them up, I want him to feel my power, my intensity, my experience. I have every attribute to win this fight. My mindset is just to prepare for a three-round war, but I do believe I will finish him and get a ranking next to my name.”
If Ige gets his hand raised, he knows he’ll be in the title picture at bantamweight. Which, he said, was the goal, as he believes the change in weight class is for him to chase the title.
“It feels like a fresh slate; it feels like my UFC debut again. I have the drive to go out and get a title. I’ve been given so many opportunities and have fallen short, but now I have another opportunity to make it actually happen,” Ige concluded.
Do you think Dan Ige will beat David Martinez at Noche UFC?
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
