What is Next For Dan Ige?
Dan Ige took on Calvin Kattar in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi. He was on a 6 fight win streak leading into the fight. He was coming from a huge victory over Edson Barboza. He had the momentum and a win over a highly ranked opponent was all he needed to put the featherweight division on notice.
However, Ige's win streak ended as Calvin Kattar outclassed him and won the fight comfortably. But there are some positives for Dan Ige from the defeat against Kattar. Dan Ige showed us that he can go five rounds against the top UFC featherweights. He had his moments in the fight, but in the end, Calvin Kattar was too good for him.
Despite the loss, the future looks bright for the 28-year-old mixed martial artist, Dan Ige. Ige will surely bounce back from this loss with another impressive performance. But who does Ige face next after the 5 round war against Calvin Kattar?
Dan Ige vs Jeremy Stephens is going to be a barn burner
It is hard to look at the current featherweight rankings and not think of a fight between UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens and Dan Ige. This is one of the most exciting fights that can be made in the division.
Following the devastating loss against Calvin Kattar, Jeremy Stephens sits at number 9 and Dan Ige is at number 10. Jeremy Stephens is on a losing streak, but he has lost to some of the best fighters in the division. Despite his losses, he looked phenomenal against Yair Rodriguez and Zabit Magomedsharipov. Jeremy Stephens is still a dangerous guy in the division and the best thing is he always delivers.
No matter who the opponent is, Jeremy Stephens is always exciting to watch, and a win over him will give a huge boost to Dan Ige's career.
Besides Jeremy Stephens, Shane Burgos is an exciting matchup for Dan Ige. Burgos is coming off a loss against Josh Emmett. And before that, he has beaten some of the toughest guys in the division such as Cub Swanson.
The loss against Calvin Kattar has derailed Dan Ige from his journey to the top. But Dan Ige is a rising star in the division and if he can pick up a few wins against top 10 opponents we might have a potential title contender in the star studded featherweight division.