"Disrespectful to even offer" - Fans debate if Dan Ige is being done "dirty" despite zero-notice step-up as new opponent is reported for UFC 308

Dan Ige's next fight is reportedly set to take place at UFC 308, which will transpire at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., on Oct. 26, 2024. Fight fans have addressed the reported matchup, with many suggesting that the UFC could've surely booked Ige in a better fight after he'd valiantly helped salvage the UFC 303 card.

Hawaii's Ige earned widespread praise when he stepped in on just a few hours notice to fight top-tier featherweight (145-pound) prospect Diego Lopes at the high-profile UFC 303 event on June 29, 2024. The UFC 303 card was marred by multiple fight cancellations, including that of featherweight star Brian Ortega, who fell ill and withdrew from his 145-pound bout against Lopes on fight night.

Ige stepped in to fight the dangerous Lopes. Their bout was contested at a catchweight of 165 pounds, and Lopes ended up winning the grueling showdown via unanimous decision. During his post-fight octagon interview, Ige indicated that he'd like to have a full camp. He lobbied for a rematch against Lopes at the UFC 306 (Sept. 14, 2024) event at the Las Vegas Sphere.

Lopes was recently rescheduled to fight Ortega at UFC 306. Moreover, it's now being reported that Ige will face undefeated UK fighter Lerone Murphy at UFC 308 in October. The Murphy-Ige matchup was first reported by Mike Heck and later tweeted by Marcel Dorff.

Fight fans weighed in on it. Many suggested that after Ige's brave last-minute contribution at UFC 303, the organization should've given him a more favorable matchup rather than book him to fight a lesser-known but highly-skilled fighter like Lerone Murphy. Responding to Dorff's tweet, one X user deemed Ige the real BMF. A commenter wrote:

"Ige being done dirty by getting this matchup after filling in on 2 hours notice. One of the hardest possible matchups for the least upside in return."

While some fans praised the UFC's matchmaking decision, others pointed out that Ige had called for a spot at the UFC 306 (aka 'Riyadh Season Noche UFC') card that is to go down at the Sphere. They believe that '50K' most definitely deserved to be on that card, which would also benefit from more good matchups added to it. A netizen jibed at the UFC and tweeted:

"Disrespectful to even offer this to Ige lol. Dogsh** company"

Check out the screenshots of a few reactions below:

Screenshots of reactions

---

A look at Dan Ige's UFC run and current ranking

Dan Ige made his professional MMA debut in June 2014. He competed at a DWCS (Dana White's Contender Series) event in July 2017 before making his UFC main roster debut in Jan. 2018. Ige (18-8 MMA) has faced several ups and downs in his UFC run.

Known for his durability, he's never faced a stoppage (KO/TKO or submission) defeat in his mixed martial arts career. The 32-year-old is 3-2 in his last five fights.

Presently, Dan Ige holds the No. 14 spot in the official UFC featherweight rankings. His expected opponent, Lerone Murphy, stands at the No. 11 position in the division. The consensus is that a victory against the unbeaten Murphy would likely earn Ige a fight against a top-10-ranked opponent in his next octagon outing.