Getty
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 09: Dan Ige reacts after defeating Mike Santiago in their featherweight fight during the UFC 225 event at the United Center on June 9, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Getty
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 09: Dan Ige reacts after defeating Mike Santiago in their featherweight fight during the UFC 225 event at the United Center on June 9, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
UFC 260 is quite literally one of the biggest events for the UFC in 2021. The main event features an era-defining bout between Francis Ngannou and the heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic. Everyone has their pick for the winner, and Ngannou’s teammate, Dan Ige, had a say as well.
Ige talked to ESPN MMA, and the reporter asked him about Ngannou’s mindset before the fight, and he responded emphatically. “Francis has looked incredible this whole past year. He’s showed up to every single practice, every wrestling day, every grappling day, every sparring day, every single Saturday,” he said.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Ige had a lot of high praise for ‘the Predator‘ and lauded his mindset in the gym. “The guy has not cut any corners, and I see a completely different Francis from the day when I met him,” he said, acknowledging the change Ngannou has gone through.
Dan Ige believes that Francis Ngannou would win the heavyweight belt
He talked about Ngannou’s progress in the terms of his skill set and said that he could dominate the fight on the ground, on the feet, and in the clinch as well.
“He’s just a freak of nature, and now he’s technically sound. This guy is untouchable. I do not see him losing anyway whatsoever,” Ige concluded.
This was not particularly good to hear if you are a Stipe fan, but one thing going in Miocic’s way is that he has already beaten Ngannou before. This is their second fight, and the first fight was an incredibly professional display from the American Fire Fighter.
Getty
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 20: (L-R) Stipe Miocic punches Francis Ngannou of Cameroon in their heavyweight championship bout during the UFC 220 event at TD Garden on January 20, 2018, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
He also reiterated that ‘The Predator’ has really put in the work and said, “He’s gonna walk out with the heavyweight strap. That’s my prediction.” His prediction is not the popular opinion, of course, but being Ngannou’s teammate gives him a closer perspective than anyone else.
On the other hand, Ige is on a roll himself. He knocked out Gavin Tucker in 22 seconds in his last fight to take his already impressive record to 15 – 3. ’50k’ is a great prospect for the featherweight division, and he’s not too far away in the rankings coming in at number 8.
Do you think Dan Ige is right? Can Francis Ngannou redeem himself and beat Stipe Miocic?
Read More: Is Stipe Miocic the Only One Who Can Defeat Francis Ngannou?
