LAS VEGAS – UFC CEO Dana White is set to grant Diego Lopez and Dan Ige their wish to compete at the Sphere.
After Brian Ortega was unable to compete in the co-main event last Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas due to illness, Ige stepped in at four hours to face Lopez (25-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC). Ige (18-8 MMA, 10-7 UFC) fought back in the third round but fought bravely to lose a unanimous decision.
White praised both fighters for accepting the matchup, with Lopez having already accepted the move from featherweight to lightweight before Ortega (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) withdrew from the bout.
“When you have a guy like Diego, the guy in the co-main event tonight, he's just the best fighter there is,” White told reporters at the post-fight press conference at UFC 303. “Think about it: Diego got the call and was told he (Ortega) wasn't going to make weight and was told, 'No problem, I'm taking the fight.' That's just a pretty tough situation mentally. … How many fighters wouldn't accept the fight and not take the fight?
“Then Ortega was out and they called to bring in someone else, and he accepted the fight. It was a totally different style to what he'd trained, but he accepted anyway. The guy he was supposed to fight was ranked in the top three. This guy (Ige) is one level above him. It's a huge mental test that's been put to this kid.”
Lopez suggested that his bout with Ortega be rebooked from the Sphere for UFC 306 on September 14. Ige also requested to be on that card, and White was happy to oblige.
“You can't ask for a better player than these two guys tonight,” White added. “It's unbelievable. I honestly do. I'd do anything for these two guys. So, yeah.”
For more on the card, check out MMA Junkie's UFC 303 event hub.
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