Hawaii’s Dan Ige returns to the Octagon on Saturday, facing Sean Woodson in a featherweight bout on the preliminary card of UFC 314 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
The 2009 Kahuku High School graduate enters the matchup with an 18-9 record, though he’s dropped his last two fights via decision against ranked contenders Diego Lopes and Lerone Murphy. Still, the Xtreme Couture mainstay remains a staple in the division, splitting his last six fights at 3-3.
Woodson (13-1-1) presents a physical challenge, boasting a significant height advantage at 6 feet 2 inches compared to Ige’s 5-foot-7 frame. But the undersized featherweight has made a career of embracing underdog roles.
In June 2024, Ige stepped in on hours’ notice to fight Lopes, putting on a gutsy performance despite the loss. Lopes headlines Saturday’s main card in a featherweight title clash against former champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Ige’s head coach, Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, praised the fighter’s work ethic and leadership, noting that Ige leads by example more than words.
“Dan embodies that. Don’t tell me — show me,” Nicksick told KHON2 Sports. “When Dan does speak up in a practice setting, everyone listens. He’s earned that respect because he never stops working.”
Nicksick, who has coached Ige since his early days in the fight game, reflected on their shared journey from humble beginnings.
“For me, knowing him as the guy sleeping on Brad Tavares’ couch with $27 in his pocket, I couldn’t be more proud,” Nicksick said. “Our rise has been parallel — I go, he goes. We’ve taken each other to the top, and I think that’s what makes our relationship special.”
Nicksick will be in Ige’s corner on Saturday as the two take on another test together.
The UFC 314 prelims begin at 2 p.m. HST and will be televised on ESPN.
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