Dan Ige loss to Diego Lopes at UFC 303

UFC 303, Dan Ige faced off against Diego Lopes in a highly anticipated matchup. Unfortunately for Ige, he suffered a loss to Lopes in a closely contested fight. This defeat marked a setback for Ige in his quest to climb the ranks of the featherweight division.

Despite his best efforts, Ige was unable to overcome the relentless pressure and striking of Lopes. The Brazilian fighter showcased his superior skills and proved to be a formidable opponent for Ige. In the end, it was Lopes who emerged victorious with a unanimous decision from the judges.

The catchweight bout between Lopes and Ige was officially announced less than half an hour prior to the UFC 303 main card, as Brian Ortega, Lopes’ original opponent, withdrew due to a high fever on Saturday.

Lopes took the first two rounds, outstriking and outgrappling Ige through two rounds. Ige had the striking advantage in the third and final round, but was limited on the ground in the final minutes by Lopes.

Ortega returned in February after 18 months outside of the cage healing from injuries in February.  He earned a 'Performance of the Night' bonus for his submission win over Yair Rodriguez.

Lopes will enter the octagon at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas riding a three-fight winning streak.  He had finished his three previous opponents in the first round.  Ige last fought in February, defeating Andre Fili by knockout.  

Dana White as you possibly can just by showing up to the arena. The gate for the event was $15.9 million, fourth-highest in UFC history.

Once Ige heard that the co-main event was in jeopardy, he sent a direct message to UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell at 4:18 p.m., less than three hours before the start of the main card.

Ortega was tabbed to face Lopes in the co-main event on short notice after the UFC was sent scrambling when Conor McGregor's broken toe forced him out of the main event against Michael Chandler just over two weeks before the event. Ortega had difficulty cutting weight for the scheduled featherweight fight at 145 pounds and negotiated to bump the fight up to lightweight (155 pounds) early Friday morning.

UFC 303. Lopes accepted the Ortega bout on two weeks' notice after an injury to Conor McGregor threw the card into disarray. Lopes has looked the part of a featherweight title contender as of late, with three consecutive first-round finishes. He showed off his killer instinct again on Saturday with the D'Arce attempt, but the veteran Ige refused to tap and survived to the end of the first round.

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Sarah H

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