Dan Ige reveals how the Governor of Nevada was involved in finalizing short-notice Diego Lopes fight at UFC 303
Dan Ige recently disclosed that Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo played a crucial role in securing his short-notice fight against Diego Lopes in the co-main event of UFC 303. Last weekend, '50K' agreed to a catchweight (165 pounds) bout against Lopes just hours before the matchup, with no training camp or preparation.
The sequence of events was set in motion when Brian Ortega was sidelined by illness, leaving a void in the event's lineup. Undeterred, Lopes opted to stay on the card and take on Ige, a Las Vegas local residing near the T-Mobile Arena, who answered the call when the UFC needed him the most.
Given the last-minute nature of the fight booking, not only did the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) need to sanction the bout, but it has also come to light that the MMA promotion had to secure approval from the local government.
During a recent interview with MMA on SiriusXM, Ige revealed that both the NSAC and the UFC had to secure clearance from the Governor of Nevada to finalize the fight:
"The way this all happened is not only because I had to get permission approved... I was licensed in Nevada; I had my medicals done because I was fighting in three weeks, and I fought in February. The Governor of Nevada had to sign off on this. This was serious—the text message that they showed on the broadcast."
He added:
"Let's just say I did go out there and get knocked out or hurt. That's a big liability. If I was unfit to fight and this actually went down like that, that's not a good look for the UFC."
Check out Dan Ige's comments below:
How did Dan Ige fare against Diego Lopes at UFC 303?
Although Diego Lopes found success with both striking and grappling in the first two rounds of their fight, Dan Ige launched a tenacious comeback in the final round, pushing his opponent to his limits.
Lopes threw powerful strikes, but Ige defended well, attempting a late first-round takedown that led to a dangerous D’Arce choke. '50K' calmly escaped, surviving the round. Despite being down two rounds, the American unleashed a fierce assault in the third, landing heavy punches and elbows.
Despite his relentless effort, Ige was unable to secure the win. Ultimately, Lopes clinched a unanimous decision victory, with all three judges awarding the contest 29-28 in his favor.