A featherweight showdown between rising contenders Dan Ige and Movsar Evloev is close to being finalized for a June 4 UFC event.
News of the targeted booking was first reported by ESPN’s Brett Okamoto.
Ige is coming off a Fight of the Year contender against Josh Emmett at UFC 269, despite losing via unanimous decision. He’s lost two of his last three, including to featherweight title challenger Chan Sung Jung last June.
If the booking is confirmed, this will easily be the toughest test of the upstart Evloev’s young career in the Octagon. He’s undefeated in his UFC tenure and will enter the fight with a 15-0 professional record.
Despite his recent losing skid, Ige remains one of the toughest featherweights in the UFC. He began his Octagon tenure on a six-fight winning streak after losing his debut against Julio Arce at UFC 220.
During that streak, Ige picked up dominant wins over the likes of Mirsad Bektic and Edson Barboza. The Dana White’s Contender Series alum is still just entering the prime of his MMA career and has the chance to replicate his previous successes.
Evloev has emerged as arguably one of the top prospects in the UFC. He most recently picked up wins in impressive fashion over fellow prospect Hakeem Dawodu and also MMA veteran Nik Lentz. Dan Ige could present some interesting challenges for Evloev, particularly with his striking.
Evloev was originally supposed to face Ilia Topuria earlier this year before withdrawing just days before the fight.
It’s unclear if the fight will be booked for a UFC Fight Night event or a pay-per-view card. But regardless, it’s a massive fight that is sure to garner the attention of fans.
What are your thoughts on this featherweight matchup?
