MMA
Dan Ige asked for David Martinez at Noche UFC for his bantamweight debut: 'I have the drive to go out and get a title'
Published
3 weeks agoon

Dan Ige is set to make his bantamweight debut at Noche UFC.
Ige is set to take on David Martinez in an intriguing fight as the Hawaiian is getting a ranked opponent right away. However, the process to this point wasn't easy, as Ige didn't even think bantamweight was possible or something he wanted to do.
“To be completely honest, there was a time I told myself I would never consider it, and I thought I'd fight at lightweight before I fought at bantamweight,†Ige said on Just Scrap Radio on BJEPNN.com. “After my fight, I had some time off dealing with some injuries. A month after my fight, I was still at my fight-week weight. It got me thinking about bantamweight, and I talked to the people at the PI, my team, and the UFC, and it became a move for personal challenge and a business move.â€
After being told he could make 135lbs, he began the process of getting ready for the move. Although he is dropping weight, during this game, he broke all his speed and records at the PI, which gave him confidence to ask for David Martinez.
“They asked me what I want and if I want to go for the top right away,†Ige said. “You put someone in front of me, I am probably going to say yes. I told them anyway I'd fight anyone in or outside the rankings. The day after my test cut, they had some UFC bantamweight fights, and there was an unranked guy who won, and I said to Sean Shelby, ‘What do you think about this guy?' He said he wanted to get me someone ranked, and I brought up David Martinez and Noche, and they thought it was a great idea.â€
Dan Ige expects a ‘war' at Noche UFC
Although Dan Ige knows David Martinez is a tough opponent for his bantamweight debut at Noche UFC, he is looking forward to the bout. And he has full confidence he won't just be able to pull off the upset, but will get a stoppage win to send a statement to the bantamweight division.
“We will make it fun,†Ige said. “He moves a lot, he kicks a lot, he's very evasive, and has good timing. Just finding my traps and setting them up, I want him to feel my power, my intensity, my experience. I have every attribute to win this fight. My mindset is just to prepare for a three-round war, but I do believe I will finish him and get a ranking next to my name.â€
If Ige gets his hand raised, he knows he'll be in the title picture at bantamweight. Which, he said, was the goal, as he believes the change in weight class is for him to chase the title.
“It feels like a fresh slate; it feels like my UFC debut again. I have the drive to go out and get a title. I've been given so many opportunities and have fallen short, but now I have another opportunity to make it actually happen,†Ige concluded.
Do you think Dan Ige will beat David Martinez at Noche UFC?
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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MMA
Ex-IBF champion Lee Selby gets unbeaten test in BKB 61 main event
Published
25 minutes agoon
September 30, 2026
Death†Sentance on Nov. 14 at Indigo at The O2 in London.
BKB announced the all-British matchup Tuesday, with the former IBF
featherweight champion set to make his second appearance in the
promotion's Trigon. Selby had previously been confirmed for the
event, but his opponent had not been announced.
Lee Selby faces 2-0 bare-knuckle finisher Ollie Sentance in
London
Selby retired from professional boxing in 2022, bringing an end to
a career in which he captured the IBF featherweight championship.
He made his BKB debut at BKB 55 in June, stopping Antonio Rizzo via
second-round TKO.
The 39-year-old Welshman will now make his first BKB appearance in
London, where he will face another undefeated bare-knuckle fighter
in Sentance.
“I'm really looking forward to getting back in the Trigon and
fighting in London again,†Selby said. “Ollie is a tough opponent
and I know he'll be coming to bring a fight, so I'm expecting a
proper battle. It's always special fighting in front of the British
fans and I'm excited to headline BKB 61 and put on a great night
for everyone at The O2.â€
Sentance enters the matchup with a 2-0 bare-knuckle record, with
both victories coming by stoppage. The Kidderminster,
Worcestershire, native made his BKB debut in February, stopping
Nico Earwaker in the fourth round before adding another TKO victory
over Corey Healey at BKB 55.
The 29-year-old competed in several combat sports, including mixed
martial arts and kickboxing, before moving into bare-knuckle
boxing.
BKB RETURNS TO LONDON! 🇬🇧
Former World Champion Lee Selby vs. Ollie Sentance headlines
#BKB61!ðŸŽŸï¸ Tickets on sale now at https://t.co/5lBvCaM4am pic.twitter.com/qh7OjCVquf
— BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing (@bkbbareknuckle)
September 29, 2026
MMA
Jiri Prochazka headlines UFC Qatar; Aljamain Sterling, Dan Hooker return
Published
10 hours agoon
September 29, 2026
Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLCFormer UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka will return at UFC Qatar for his first bout since losing to Carlos Ulberg.
The UFC light heavyweight title picture remains in a peculiar spot as titleholder Carlos Ulberg continues to recover from a leg injury suffered at UFC 327. Earlier this year, Ulberg rallied against Jiri Prochazka to earn a TKO win after injuring his leg just minutes into the fight.
Now, the light heavyweight titleholder remains on the sidelines as Prochazka and other top contenders make their cases for a title shot. Prochazka is looking to secure another title shot after recent championship losses to Alex Pereira and Ulberg.
As he looks to move closer to another potential title fight, Prochazka will headline the UFC's return to Qatar against one of the division's most dangerous young contenders.
Jiri Prochazka vs. Navajo Stirling headlines stacked card at UFC Qatar
As the UFC announced on Tuesday, Prochazka will face Navajo Stirling (11-0) in the UFC Qatar main event on November 21st.
Stirling returns to the Octagon after recent knockout wins over Jan Blachowicz, Ion Cutelaba, and Bruno Lopes. He was a longtime teammate of Israel Adesanya at City Kickboxing before Adesanya left the gym earlier this year.
A win over Prochazka would likely give Stirling the nod for a title shot over some of the other top contenders. Prochazka was briefly linked to a fight against former UFC title challenger Paulo Costa before negotiations fell apart.
UFC Qatar features the returns of top names like Aljamain Sterling, Dan Hooker, and the highly anticipated debut of super prospect Akbar Abdullaev. Stirling will face surging featherweight contender Kevin Vallejos in the co-main event.
Hooker, who returns after a loss at UFC Paris earlier this month, will fight Brian Ortega in the latter's long-awaited lightweight debut.
What is your prediction for Jiri Prochazka vs. Navajo Stirling? Share your thoughts in the comments!
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
MMA
Payton Talbott reveals why rumored Sean O'Malley fight at White House didn't happen
Published
10 hours agoon
September 29, 2026

Payton Talbott reveals he was in talks to face Sean O'Malley at the White House.
O'Malley ended up facing Aiemann Zahabi on the card, whom he knocked out, but Talbott was in the running for that fight. It would have been a major fight, but for whatever reason it didn't come to fruition.
According to Talbott, the UFC told him O'Malley wasn't available after asking about the fight, and then it was announced he was facing Zahabi.
“I was supposed to fight Sean [O'Malley], then I was supposed to fight him, I was supposed to fight her, all kinds of names,†Talbott said. “Supposedly when I was supposed to fight them, they all had a broken foot. I was like, ‘Dude, what's up with everybody's feet?‘ It must be something in the water.
“They were like, ‘Oh, so and so broke his foot. He really wants to fight you, but his foot is broken. This guy, he was gonna fight you, but this morning he broke his foot.' Then it's funny, because the same names that said their feet were broken are suddenly getting booked … it could be UFC, it could be people scared. I wonder which?â€
Why the UFC offered the fight and then walked it back isn't known. But perhaps the promotion is waiting for it to be a potential title fight, or No. 1 contender fight, to book it.
Payton Talbott is set to take on Deiveson Figueiredo in the co-main event of UFC 332 on Saturday in Utah. Should he beat the former flyweight champ, he could start to enter the title conversation at bantamweight.
Talbott enters the fight on a two-fight winning streak and is coming off a decision win over Henry Cejudo.
UFC 332 Fight Card
The full fight card for UFC 332 on Saturday is as follows:
- Natalia Silva vs. Wang Cong – women's flyweight title fight
- Payton Talbott vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
- Roman Kopylov vs. Ateba Gautier
- King Green vs. Esteban Ribovics
- Khaos Williams vs. Roberto Soldic
- Mick Parkin vs. Johnny Walker
- Alden Cora vs. Imanol Rodriguez
- Damian Pinas vs. Andrey Pulyaev
- Court McGee vs. Eric Nolan
- Marvin Vettori vs. Ismail Naurdiev
- Alexander Hernandez vs. Rafael dos Anjos
- Marcus McGhee vs. Benardo Sopaj
- Anthony Wint vs. Lucas Armand
- Jacobe Smith vs. Bruce Whitehead
Stay locked to BJPENN.com all week for your UFC 332 fight coverage.
Who do you think would have won, Payton Talbott or Sean O'Malley?
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
Ex-IBF champion Lee Selby gets unbeaten test in BKB 61 main event
Jiri Prochazka headlines UFC Qatar; Aljamain Sterling, Dan Hooker return
Payton Talbott reveals why rumored Sean O'Malley fight at White House didn't happen
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