Ige Maintains Focus After Third Straight Loss At 135

Dan Ige broke his silence after losing to David Martinez at Noche UFC, insisting his preparation was sound despite dropping a third straight decision at bantamweight.

The 35-year-old featherweight veteran fell 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28 to Martinez, a ranked flyweight making his second appearance at 135 pounds, in a largely one-sided bout Saturday night in Glendale. Ige posted a statement to Instagram acknowledging the loss while defending his camp work. "I was confident and more than ready," he wrote, per MMA Mania. "Tonight, Martinez was the better man. I lost the moments in the fight. That hurts."

Ige's Uncertain Path Forward At Bantamweight

Ige has now gone 4-9 over his past 13 outings, though only one of those setbacks came by finish. He moved to bantamweight earlier this year after a long run at 145 pounds, where he compiled a 7-6 UFC record. Martinez entered the fight ranked seventh at flyweight and unbeaten in four promotional appearances.

In the Instagram post, Ige made no mention of a return to featherweight or potential next opponent. "I may not know exactly what comes next, but my faith will not be shaken," he wrote. The UFC has not announced whether Ige will get another chance at 135 or be asked to move back up.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Dan Ige releases statement following Noche UFC loss: ‘I was more than ready’