Dan Ige Recounts Epic Short Notice Bout W/ Diego Lopes, Says He'd Do It Again

Dan Ige was planning on watching UFC 303 like the rest of us ... on the couch. But before the main card kicked off ... he found himself walking into the arena to take a fight against Diego Lopes on four hours notice -- and he tells TMZ Sports he would do it all over again!

We spoke with the 32-year-old fighter days after he saved the day for the UFC on its marquee card for International Fight Week. Ige said he is still riding the high of the entire saga.

"The last 24 hours have been an emotional roller coaster," he said. "I was preparing for a night in three weeks. Then, just getting the call on four hours notice and making that walk on such a huge event, saving the card, UFC 303 as the co-main event. 19,000 fans in the arena, getting a standing ovation. What a moment, what an opportunity."

If you missed it, Brian Ortega was slated to fight Lopes in the co-main event of UFC 303. However, Ortega got sick the day of the fight and had to withdraw. Scrambling to salvage the fight, the UFC called the Las Vegas-based Ige to see if he could step in and fight at 165 lbs.

A short car ride later ... the shortest of short notice fight was booked! While Ige acknowledges that what he did was "cool and crazy," he gives his props to Lopes for going through what he went through and still sticking on the card.

"I read everything this kid went through. He cut down to 145, he rehydrated to [1]55, and then his opponent gets sick and falls out. So, he's probably thinking I'm not even fighting. Then they drop my name into the hat. Even when they offered it to me, I was like, 'This can't even be real.'"

The 13th-ranked UFC featherweight said they both walked out winners at the end of the fight -- calling it an "amazing spectacle."

While he has no regrets about it all, Ige would enjoy running it back against the #14 ranked featherweight Lopes with time to prepare -- with an eye towards the UFC Mexican Independence Day card at the Sphere!

"Let's do it fair," Ige said. We'll both cut to 145, we'll both prepare, we'll both game plan for each other, and we'll see what happens. That was a close fight; he had his moments, and I had my moments, and I finished strong. We can make it five rounds!"