Dan Ige just stepped in to fight Diego Lopes with just 3 hours notice at UFC 303. Originally, Lopes was stepping into the octagon against Brian Ortega, however, ‘T-City’ fell violently ill with a body temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fans who had been hailing UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira for taking on a title defense at UFC 303 with only a few weeks notice, are now calling Ige the true BMF for accepting to fight with with just 3 hours remaining on the clock.
“Dan Ige is the BMF Champion tonight!”
Dan Ige is the BMF Champion tonight!
— Justin David Kish • Sports Journalist (@JustinDavidKish) June 30, 2024
One fan called ‘Dynamite’ a gangster for accepting the fight. Even Joe Rogan, who heard the news while sitting at the commentary desk could not believe what he was hearing,
“This is some gangster shit for real for real”
This is some gangster shit for real for real
— ReasonableSuspicion (@ReasonableSus) June 30, 2024
This fan called Ige a ‘Dawg’ for what he did. It takes nothing less than a warriors mentality to take such a big risk just to fight someone,
“definition of a DAWG”
definition of a DAWG https://t.co/pPGa0k8ADl
— Justin Moore (@JustinMoore243) June 30, 2024
One fan called for this card to go down in the history books. Despite so many fights getting canceled from the original card, someone or the other kept stepping up to save it,
“This is actually unbelievable. This card belongs in the history books.”
This is actually unbelievable. This card belongs in the history books.
— Stephen Ai Smith ᶠᵃⁿ (@stephenaismth) June 30, 2024
What’s even more interesting is that Ige himself went up to UFC CEO Hunter Campbell asking him to allow him into the octagon and save the day.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man
But how is that even possible? How could he possibly be in the shape to actually get into a proper fight?
Apparently, Ige was preparing for his co-main event fight three weeks from now and so he was already in fighting shape. Regardless, it is still unheard of.
As a matter of fact, when Ige reached out to Campbell, he literally tells him that this is the healthiest he’s even been and could take on Lopes and finish the fight. Ige practically begged for the fight asking Campbell not to take the opportunity away from him.
“Hey Hunter, I’ve been in camp for 3 months. I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been, I can fight this guy tonight and beat him. This is what legends are made of….Please don’t take this opportunity away from me.”
LOVE Dan Ige for this.
This is how legends are made.
So excited for this fight. #UFC303 pic.twitter.com/HLCztgd1pY— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) June 30, 2024
If Ige is able to secure a win against Diego Lopes, he will go down in the history books for what he did not just for the UFC, but also for the fans. It will be interesting to see how this affects his co-main event fight three weeks from now as well.
It’s highly likely that ’50K’ might have to postpone that fight if this one gets really violent or demanding in particular and nobody would blame him for it.
