Dan Ige says he will give ‘legend’ Edson Barboza a rematch following controversial decision win
Dan Ige says he will give Edson Barboza a rematch if the Brazilian wants it.
Back at UFC on ESPN 8, Barboza dropped down to featherweight to battle 15th ranked Dan Ige. Early on, the Brazilian had success and dropped the Hawaiian in Ige. But, Ige battled back and won the second and third rounds to earn a split decision win over the Brazilian.
Immediately, after the fight, many thought Barboza should’ve won and even Dana White said he had Barboza winning. So, after all the controversy, Ige says he will rematch the Brazilian if he wants it.
“It’s kind of sad, you know, I feel kind of bad for him. But I kind of think he’s doing the wrong thing to say, ‘I won this fight, I won the fight, I won the fight.’ You know, it is what it is man, it sucks, you know, sometimes we lose in the sport,” Ige said to TMZ Sports (h/t BJPENN.com). “But clearly he has to go back and watch the fight because I hit the dude with 95 right hands. I won rounds two and three. That’s it. He hurt me, yes he did hurt with me a body shot, the last 30 seconds of round two. But that doesn’t win you the round.
“I just feel kind of bad for him. That guy’s a legend, that guy’s been around, he’s been in the top-10, top-5 of the world for the last 10 years,” he explained. “I understand how bad he wants to win, but you know what, the guy for how much he’s saying he won the fight, not one person from his team has asked for a rematch. Hey, I’ll give him a rematch dude, I beat him on two weeks’ notice. Give me eight weeks and I’ll see what I can do to him.”
Whether or not the UFC will look to book a rematch between Dan Ige and Edson Barboza is to be seen. But, it would no doubt be another interesting scrap between two top featherweights.
