Off Guard: Dan Ige says UFC 247 fight with Mirsad Bektic will bring out best of him

LAS VEGAS – Dan Ige got the big fight he was looking for when he drew ranked featherweight Mirsad Bektic.

Ige will fight Bektic in February at UFC 247 in Houston, looking to make it five wins in a row in a matchup that he’s confident will bring the best out of him.

“From what I saw, he was a super high-rated prospect at the time, and he’s a guy people saw like, ‘Oh, this guy could probably be a champion,’” Ige told MMA Junkie. “Like his demeanor and the way he fought, and he just brings it, and he’s fought some big names, high-level competition. He’s been in there with the best, but I need these kind of fights to bring out the best in me, so you will see a really good Dan Ige (on) Feb. 8.”

Ige (12-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who’s coming off a unanimous decision win over Kevin Aguilar in June, was hoping to compete one more time in 2019 on the UFC 244 card in Madison Square Garden, but ultimately didn’t get the chance.

But on Feb. 8 he draws his toughest test to date on paper, when he takes on a seasoned featherweight in Bektic (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), and Ige is ready to show the world that he can compete at the highest level.

“This is going to be a huge year for me,” Ige said. “It’s fighting No. 13 right now, hoping to get a good win off that, and just keep building, keep building, and fighting the best in the world. And I’m ready to fight the best in the world, because I know I’m the best in the world, and I will be the best in the world, especially on that night on Feb. 8, because that’s all that matters.”