UFC Fight Night: Dan Ige vs Gavin Tucker betting odds, preview, and pick

Dan Ige and Gavin Tucker collide in a featherweight showdown at UFC Fight Night on Saturday, March 13. We have the only preview and pick you’ll need for this intriguing undercard match.

Will Ige break through?

Ige has been working hard to break into the top tier of the featherweight division, but it seems as though he can’t catch a break as he nears the top.

He saw his six-fight win streak come to an end as Calvin Kattar handily defeated him. Even so, Ige is hoping to get back in the win column and inch towards a major fight.

He lands roughly four significant strikes per minute with 46% accuracy, and prefers to keep the action standing up. Though he has a background in judo and jujitsu, which bolsters his takedown defense, Ige is best suited as a striker.

Late sub, live dog

While Ryan Hall was meant to be his original opponent, Ige is not getting an easier assignment in Tucker. One thing Tucker doesn’t have going for him here is that he tends to take a lot of punishment, but he’s shown a willingness to get hurt long enough to establish his offense.

Once Tucker does get his opponents on the ground, he’s extremely dangerous. Almost half of his wins have come by submission, mostly by armbar or rear-naked choke. What he lacks as a striker, he makes up for as a strong finisher on the ground.

Ige will win a tough decision

This is a close fight to call. Both fighters have clear avenues to victory and are evenly matched.

If Ige can keep Tucker at the end of his reach and really put his shots together, he’ll draw him into taking some risks that will lead to more punishment. At the same time, Ige doesn’t have that kind of power to discourage Tucker from trying to take him down.

Each time Ige gets taken down, the probability of defeat will increase exponentially. Tucker’s downfall though is that Ige will easily pierce his defense, and his own formidable takedown defense should have Tucker playing right into his hands all night.

Ige will get back in the win column in a hard-fought battle where he’ll grind out a win on the cards by the slimmest of margins.

MMA pick: Ige