Dan Ige Shares a Glimpse of Journey to Debuting in Bantamweight

At 35, UFC veteran Dan Ige begins a new chapter today in Noche UFC, debuting at bantamweight after nearly a decade competing in the featherweight division.

Dan Ige Turns Page Saturday

UFC veteran Dan Ige is debuting in the 135-lbs division today, in Noche UFC, after over eight years since his UFC debut. Over almost a decade in the 145-pound ranks, Ige held his own with physically imposing featherweights like Diego Lopes, Josh Emmett, and Edson Barboza and scored his last win over the towering Sean Woodson.

Usually when a veteran fighter moves down a weight category, people view it as a move to combat recent struggles. Although Ige’s move follows two consecutive setbacks in the octagon, '100 Grand' has confirmed that his time away from competition after his February bout with Melquizael Costa prompted this decision.

“Honestly, it just started from a thought,” he said via UFC News. ”At a point in my career, I said I would never go down to bantamweight. I remember a long time ago, Khabib (Nurmagomedov) said, ‘Brother, you gotta go bantamweight,’ and I was like, ‘Why would I go to bantamweight? I’ll be at lightweight before you see me at bantamweight.” 

Before fully committing to the transformation, the 35-year-old went through a practice cut. He put himself through the paces of a typical fight camp, although there was no fight at the other end of this grind. Ige wanted to weigh his options before setting his decision in stone.

When asked how he feels being at 135, he answered, “About the same, just 10 pounds lighter,” in an interview with BruisedEgosMMA.

The decision itself took almost as much calculation as maintaining the cut, including thinking about his matchups and his upcoming child.

Dan Ige Refuses to Wait at 35 as Bantamweight Offers Fresh Opportunity

At 35, Ige understands that his success in the bantamweight division is a race against time. This is precisely why he was unwilling to remain on the sidelines waiting for the perfect opportunity.

After more than 20 UFC appearances, Ige was familiar with the issue of limited fresh matchups. Rather than letting it stall his career, the veteran decided to explore a move to bantamweight.

“Longevity can be a blessing and a curse,” Ige explained via UFC News. “You get stuck there because you’ve fought everyone, the UFC doesn’t really like to do a lot of rematches, and being that I just turned 35, I really didn’t want to sit around and wait for the perfect fight.”

In addition, Ige’s actions were influenced by his eagerness to stay active, especially since his third baby is expected to arrive in November. Ige's goal was to make his fights prior to his wife giving birth to a baby, with Ige pitching a fight for bantamweight against Jonathan Martinez.

Thus, Ige’s actions are about more than just dropping a weight category. It is an attempt to keep his career on track and pave the way for new opportunities.