Dan Ige wants “The Korean Zombie” next.
The featherweight is coming off a hard-fought victory over Edson Barboza this past weekend. Ige has now amassed six consecutive wins, with big victories over names such as Mike Santiago (via TKO at UFC 225) and Danny Henry (via submission at UFC Fight Night 147).
Barboza was the toughest challenge of the featherweight’s career thus far and Ige admits that he was a bit nervous fighting one of the best strikers in the division; however, he maintained his cool coming into the contest:
“It’s a surreal feeling. It’s hard to explain, but to go out there and share the octagon (with Barboza) – I woke up this morning and when you wake up in the morning and you have to fight Edson Barboza, that’s scary!” he told MMA Junkie. “But I gathered my wits and manned up to the plate and here I am on the winning side, so I’m super happy.
“I used to not get nerves before my fights, but I used to not be a killer like I am now. I woke up this morning and it’s kinda been like this the last few fights, just like an eerie nerves, anxiety. But by the time I’m in that bus and headed to the arena, it’s my time. There’s no nerves, I’m just here, I’m excited. As soon as I get off the bus I’ve burned the boats, and that’s it. That’s my mentality and that’s how I come out, every fight.
At the moment, Ige is ranked at No.15 in the 145-pound division, so the 28-year-old is surely looking to face the top competitors in the division, one of them is “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung:
“I said it last fight, I want to fight ‘The Korean Zombie,'” he stated. “The guy says he doesn’t know who I am – I hope he does now. Hey dude, I just beat Edson Barboza! No disrespect against ‘Zombie,’ I just think that’s an exciting fight and I don’t think you guys will disagree.”
This isn’t the first time that Ige has called out Jung as the featherweight did the same thing after his win over Mirsad Bektic at UFC 247. Thus far, “The Korean Zombie” has yet to respond to any of Ige’s callouts.