Dan Ige
kept his head held high following a unanimous decision loss to
Chan
Sung Jung in the UFC on ESPN 25 main event on Saturday.
The Xtreme Couture product had his moments standing against “The
Korean Zombie” in their featherweight clash at the UFC Apex in Las
Vegas, but the South Korean standout ultimately relied on his
grappling to frustrate Ige and get the nod from the cageside
judges.
In a post-fight interview in the Octagon, Ige paid tribute to his
opponent while expressing resolve to climb to the top of the
145-pound division.
“I went out there I fought my best. I came in at my absolute best.
I have no excuses,” Ige said. “The ‘Zombie’ is an absolute legend.
I’ve been watching this guy since I graduated from high school. I
was watching him from the WEC days to here now in the UFC, and he’s
still one of the best in the world – and that’s all I want.
“I want to test myself against the absolute best in the world. I
truly believe I can still be a champion. I just have little small
things to work on. I’ll be back better and stronger.”
A competitor on Season 1 of Dana White’s Contender Series, Ige has
been victorious in seven of his 10 promotional appearances. His
record includes split-decision triumphs over Edson
Barboza and Mirsad
Bektic as well as a 22-second KO of Gavin
Tucker, but he has recently fallen short in main event matchups
against Jung and Calvin
Kattar.
Ige later released a statement on Instagram, where he praised Jung
for his strategy while sharing his disappointment following his
latest setback.
“He fought a very smart fight; congrats to him and his team. I’ve
been here before but this one definitely stung a bit more knowing I
had everything to gain from this fight and truly believed 100
percent in my heart and that I would come out victorious,” Ige
wrote. “I was mentally, physically, and spiritually sharp and
prepared. Sometimes what you plan on doesn’t align with God’s
timing, but in the end, God loves and cares for me and so does my
family and small circle whom I love dearly.
“I’m obviously heartbroken as I sit here in the valley of defeat,
but I’m already plotting a way to climb the mountain again with
goals to reach the top of the throne,” he continued. “I love this
sport and I’ve dedicated my entire life to it and I’ll find a way
to be better. Thank you everyone who’s reached out and checked on
me I’m doing okay. Now time to enjoy my first Father’s Day with my
baby boy and the rest of the family.”