Dan Ige returns to action in a barnburner against Gavin Tucker in a pivotal featherweight matchup.
Following the dropout of Ryan Hall, Ige was without an opponent until the UFC matchmakers presented his team with Tucker, which they accepted quickly. The Canadian Tucker is a triple-threat, the prospect can take care of business on the feet, has notched four submissions throughout his career, and also has won on the judge’s scorecards several times too.
Dan Ige Goes Into Another Firefight With Rising Contender Gavin Tucker
Despite the fight being on somewhat short-notice, “50K” is a credible threat to anyone in the featherweight division, and he proved it in his war with Calvin Kattar. Even though the Hawaiian standout didn’t get the job done, he left the octagon with his head held high considering the spectacular back-and-forth performance he presented to fans across the world. Prior to the war with Kattar, Ige picked up a controversial split-decision win against Edson Barboza which also turned out to be a spectacular fight. Overall it was a battle between Barboza launching leg kicks, while the shorter compact Ige looked to stutter step himself into range to land bombs on the Brazilian.
However, Ige is eager to show his evolution as he is ready to start providing for a new member of his family. Below the featherweight mentions what the new blessing means to him.
"I'm super excited to be a dad. It's my first child and I really can't wait."@Dynamitedan808 talks about becoming a father (any day now) and about how he's been able to make big strides since fighting last July 🔊⬆️ pic.twitter.com/3w1lziEcNJ
— UFC News (@UFCNews) March 11, 2021
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Conversely, Tucker is definitely an imposing threat considering the fighter hasn’t lost since 2017 to Rick Glenn. Then, looking to get even inside the octagon, the 34-year old Tucker went on a run. With a three-fight win streak intact, against solid competition like Seung Woo Choi, Justin Jaynes, and most notable Billy Quarantillo, it was clear Tucker was well on his way to becoming a contender within his weight class.
By The Numbers: Dan Ige and Gavin Tucker
Dan Ige Stats Per ESPN
- SLpM: 3.96
- Str. Acc.: 46%
- SApM: 3.36
- Str. Def: 58%
- TD Avg.: 1.69
- TD Acc.: 27%
- TD Def.: 59%
- Sub. Avg.: 0.5
Gavin Tucker Stats Per ESPN
- SLpM: 4.40
- Str. Acc.: 45%
- SApM: 4.29
- Str. Def: 57%
- TD Avg.: 3.00
- TD Acc.: 42%
- TD Def.: 53%
- Sub. Avg.: 1.5
A reflection of the stats indicates that perhaps Ige may have the upper hand in the striking department given his credible percentage at absorbing strikes per minute. The two fighters share similar striking defense, but each athlete has its own specific advantages. In contrast to Ige’s edge in numbers in the striking department, Tucker has a huge edge in takedown percentages. If the fight goes to the ground, the Canadian also has a solid submission average as well. The fight is definitely not to be missed, as both are potent finishers.
Who are you taking at UFC Vegas 21, when Dan Ige takes on Gavin Tucker?
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