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

Credit: Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC

UFC analyst Joe Rogan warned Ilia Topuria against making a critical ‘mistake' in his planned Octagon comeback.

Former UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria hasn't fought since a shocking loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 earlier this year. After suffering the first defeat of his career, Topuria is taking an indefinite hiatus from fighting, but could potentially return to the cage by year's end.

Topuria looked unrecognizable as he departed the White House lawn in June. His face was busted up by Gaethje's relentless barrage, and Topuria suffered multiple broken orbital bones in the fight.

Some question whether or not Topuria can return to elite form following the Gaethje fight. While Joe Rogan remains confident in Topuria's future, he believes the former champ needs to avoid a similar fate to his former rival.

Joe Rogan warns Ilia Topuria could face similar fate to Alexander Volkanovski after KO

In a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan was asked about Topuria's future and cautioned the former champion against a hasty comeback.

“It's going to be interesting to see how he rebounds because that was a lot of damage,†Rogan said of Topuria.

“Two fractured orbitals, they had to stop the fight in between rounds, and he took big punches from a guy who's got f—— rocks in his hands. Justin can crack… He's had a couple of months, but he probably needs like six months before he's even sparring again.

“A lot of fighters, a lot of great fighters have made a mistake of coming back too soon,†Rogan continued on Topuria. “Volkanovski is one that I point to all the time, who's arguably the greatest featherweight of all time… That's a crazy thing to do. He took a full head kick, shin to the dome, gets KO'd, and then four months later he's fighting the f—— scariest challenger that he's ever had to face.†(h/t MMA Junkie)

Who should Ilia Topuria fight in his UFC return? Share your thoughts in the comments!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

ONE Championship

A fighter who built his name on toughness alone now stands one win away from the biggest statement of his career.

Har Ling Om headlines ONE SAMURAI 3 against reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Nadaka in an atomweight kickboxing bout when ONE SAMURAI 3 streams live from Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan, on Saturday, September 12.

Har Ling Om has won his last two appearances since joining the promotion, defeating Haruyuki Tanitsu and Khunsuk T1 Fight Academy, and a win over a reigning World Champion would immediately vault him into a different tier of recognition. His path to this stage began in Lethwei, Myanmar's toughest striking discipline, a background that shaped the relentless mentality he now brings into every fight.

Nadaka enters as the reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion, a credential that makes this non-title bout a chance for Har Ling Om to make the biggest statement of his career regardless of what is on the line for the champion himself.

Har Ling Om's Lethwei background faces its ultimate test

A win here would put a US$100,000 main roster contract firmly within reach and open the door to a future World Title opportunity of his own, exactly the path he has described as his ultimate goal heading into this stage of his career. A loss, on the other hand, would be a costly setback against a champion who rarely offers second chances.

For Nadaka, the stakes carry their own weight, since dropping a non-title bout to a determined challenger would raise immediate questions heading into future defenses of the belt.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM