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Dan Ige | Living In The Moment
UFC Featherweight Dan Ige Heads Into Fight Against Sean Woodson At UFC 314 With A Renewed Mindset And Focus On The Present
After years of fighting top contenders like Diego Lopes, Bryce Mitchell and Lerone Murphy, UFC featherweight Dan Ige’s focus has started to shift.
He’s spent so much of his career thinking about the next training session, the next opponent, the next fight on the calendar, but he’s now taking a step back to appreciate what’s right in front of him — a beautiful family, a successful career and fans who continue to be inspired by his journey.
UFC 314 INTERVIEWS: Alexander Volkanovski | Diego Lopes | Yair Rodriguez | Patricio Pitbull | Michael Chandler | Paddy Pimblett
Ige signed the contract to fight Sean Woodson at UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes back in February, and since then, he’s taken life day-by-day. That mentality has helped limit the anxiety he’s experienced in the past, allowing him to train and prepare for a tough test in Miami with peace of mind he hasn’t always had.
“I’ve learned to enjoy the process,” Ige said. “I think, just as a human being, you go through so many ups and downs, especially in fighting. My entire family’s lives, my life, everyone’s life revolves around my schedule and fighting. It’s hard to just get up and go places. It’s important to really just pull back, take pride and enjoy the actual moments and the process. I’ve just been having a lot of gratitude in that because I don’t know how long I get to do this.
“I get to go out there and give my best effort and be a good role model for my family. When my kids grow up and are a little older, they’ll understand I was truly dedicated and disciplined to the sport and myself. I just want to be that role model for them. It starts with me wanting to do my best. Every time I get an opportunity to do this, why waste it?”
Order UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes
That mindset has carried over into fight week. Despite being just days away from facing a streaking prospect in Woodson, Ige is making sure to soak in everything being a UFC fighter has to offer like signing posters, doing interviews, taking photos and everything in between.
The unfortunate part of combat sports, which Ige shared with UFC.com on Tuesday, is that fighters don’t often realize how long they’ll be able to compete at this level. So, while Ige is still moving strong in his career, he’s finding value in taking it all one step at a time.
Dan Ige | Greatest Hits
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Dan Ige | Greatest Hits
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“Having that positive mindset and gratefulness has really helped me enjoy the process,” Ige said. “Three weeks ago, I wasn’t thinking about this week, I was thinking about that week. It helps me dial in, it helps me stay focused, helps me stay in the moment.”
Coming off back-to-back losses to Diego Lopes, who fights for the featherweight title on Saturday, and Lerone Murphy, who just defeated Josh Emmett in a main event last week, it’s critical that Ige stays dialed in for a pivotal matchup against Woodson who’s looking to steal Ige’s No. 15 spot in the rankings.
Get Ready For UFC 314 With Our Full Fight Card Breakdown
“I’m always fairly motivated,” Ige said. “In this case, the motivation is getting back up from getting knocked down. I’ve been knocked down many times, but to the ones that can get knocked down and get back up over and over again, I think it’s a true testament of strength, will and desire.”
Woodson has been one of the more under-the-radar prospects in the UFC over the last few years. The 32-year-old Dana White’s Contender Series grad is unbeaten in his last seven fights, including a first-round knockout over Fernando Padilla in his last outing.
“I think what he’s done has been great,” Ige said. “He’s 13-1 as a pro. He’s had a very impressive run, he’s fought a lot of pretty good fighters, he’s a great fighter himself; he’s long, he’s tricky. It’ll be a different test. I’ve fought pretty tall guys before. Maybe not 6’2, but he’s different, he’s unique. It’s just another puzzle to solve. I look forward to solving it.”
That might be a common cliché in the MMA world, but Ige lives it. When he’s not sitting down analyzing his opponents or crafting a perfect gameplan, he’s solving Rubik’s Cubes in his free time just to keep his mind moving. With the help of sparring partners like Julian Erosa, the only fighter to hand Woodson a professional loss, and Bryan Battle, Ige feels like he’s put together the pieces. Now, it’s just about executing.
Watch Dan Ige's Fight Week Interview
“I think the key components are dictating the distance, pace and pressure,” Ige said. “He’s obviously very comfortable fighting at his range and he can fight there all day. Getting him uncomfortable and putting him in vulnerable positions and situations are what essentially dictates the outcome of this fight. That’s much easier said than done, but I get to find out Saturday, and so does everyone else, if I can do that, and I believe I can.”
UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes took place live from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on April 12, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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