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“That’s a bad stoppage.”
Joe Rogan shouted those words just after Dan Ige put Sean Woodson away with a barrage of hammer fists in the third round back at UFC 314. The end came with Ige blasting away with several hard shots and Woodson looking for a desperation takedown before he ate numerous punches in succession before the referee decided he’d seen enough.
It wasn’t until after he got backstage that Ige heard that there was some kind of controversy attached to his fight with reporters telling him that the commentary team praised his performance but ultimately criticized the referee for making a bad call stopping the fight. Looking back now, Ige admits he felt nothing but love and adoration in that moment but it still stung to hear how the stoppage was being portrayed during the broadcast, which is how most people see the fight.
“As far as the moment goes, I feel like it didn’t rob my moment,” Ige told MMA Fighting. “I was in there, the ref stopped the fight, the crowd erupted and I embraced it. When I went back to the press conference room, the media they brought it up, the controversy and this and that I’m like what controversy? Then I went online and you read the comments and you hear the commentary and they definitely play a big role into that.
“They’re just saying what they see right away. It kind of sucks because it does robs from me a little bit. But then again, at the end of the day, I still got a win on my record. I still got two checks. I can’t be mad about it.”
The broadcast team for any UFC fight plays an important role not only calling the action but providing commentary for what’s happening before, during and after a fight.
Ige certainly doesn’t fault them for saying how they feel in that moment but he also knows fans often derive an opinion based on that commentary.
“People hear that and it kind of sways their own perspective,” Ige said. “It sucks but it’s their job and it’s not an easy job because anything you say, you’re judged for. No one in the crowd was complaining but definitely more people at home or online had something to say.”
Even when he rewatches fights for research, Ige finds himself seeing things differently thanks to the comments being made during the broadcast.
That’s why he actually prefers to just turn down the sound and just everything for himself because it’s nearly impossible not to allow the commentary to drive a certain narrative.
“Even when I watch film and study film, I try to watch it without commentary,” Ige said. “Because again, they’ll say something and you’ll automatically almost believe what they say. It becomes part of your truth, which might not even be the truth. It’s someone else’s truth or what they see in the moment. I don’t know how to fix that. It just is what it is.”
While he still has no problem with the referee’s decision to stop the fight back at UFC 314, Ige definitely prefers a more emphatic finish. He’s delivered plenty of those during his career and he would love to provide another one when he faces Patricio Pitbull at UFC 318 on Saturday.
“You can’t please anyone in this sport,” Ige said. “That’s why I like the walkoff KO’s because there’s no question. But those don’t always come along. But hopefully we can get one and erase all that.”
As far as his fight goes this weekend, Ige is excited about facing a legend of the sport like Pitbull, who many consider to be the greatest Bellator fighter in history.
Unfortunately, Pitbull received a rude welcome in his octagon debut after losing a lopsided decision to Yair Rodriguez in what was deemed a fairly unispiring performance.
Now Pitbull comes into his second UFC appearance at 38 years old with a 1-3 resume overall in his past four fights. That means his back could already be against the wall if Pitbull hopes to eventually chase UFC gold because starting his career 0-2 in the promotion might already have him facing insurmountable odds for the future.
“Just thinking as a company, this is a very important fight for him,” Ige said. “I don’t know what he’s getting paid financially but I’m sure it’s a pretty good amount. If he goes in there and he really can’t afford to lose another one.
“But that’s not my problem because I have a job to do, too. I’m looking to go out there and get a win and put food on my family’s table and keep my job as well. It’s hard to say if it’s do or die, but you’d have to think so.”