Something Wild Appears To Be Happening Behind-The-Scenes At UFC 303 Right Now
Alright, I know this is gonna sound crazy - but I think the co-main event for UFC 303 is about to be changed on the spot. I don't know if that's ever happened before, but it may be happening right now.
It all started when Dan Ige - who is not slated to fight tonight - tweeted the following….
Strange, right? "So you wanna be a BMF? #UFC303" - what does that mean?! What could that possibly mean from someone who's got a fight in a few weeks??
Ali Abdelaziz, who is very close with Ige, then fired this tweet off….
"This is going to be the wildest night in UFC history"
WHY?! Why is it going to be so wild?! We're six fights in, we've got four decisions and two knockouts - one that just happened….
….but the night hasn't exactly been giving off "wildest night in UFC history" vibes at all. That tweet reads like it's teasing something we're about to find out.
Then, Diego Lopes - who is supposed to face Brian Ortega in tonight's co-main event - tweeted this….
….and Ige's coach Eric Nicksick tweeted this….
Pair those four tweets with the fact that Brian Ortega couldn't make Featherweight, and seemingly couldn't even get down to 150lbs for a catchweight bout, forcing this fight up to the Lightweight Division - and I think he may be out of tonight's co-main event, replaced by Dan Ige. I'm not crazy, right?! That's certainly how all of this is reading to me.
Poor Diego Lopes if that is truly the case, and credit to the UFC for scrambling and finding a replacement for the co-main event for the hundredth time this month. Stay tuned, I guess - I'll update this blog with any new developments.
UPDATE #1: Dan Ige is on his way to the arena with Ali and Nicksick - I think it's happening….
UPDATE #2: Ariel Helwani says it's not 100%, but Ige vs Lopes is the plan for tonight….
This is fucking wild. Diego Lopes cut down to Featherweight (146lbs) on Thursday night and may be fighting at 165lbs tonight?! Accepting a fight on like, THREE HOURS notice?!?! Lopes is definitely worthy of the big balls meme he posted, but Ige is even moreso.
UPDATE #3: Dan Ige has arrived….
UPDATE #4: It's on: both fighters have weighed in under 165lbs and Diego Lopes vs Dan Ige is out new co-main event….