‘Detonated a bomb’: UFC loses it over Dan Ige’s one-punch KO

Veteran UFC featherweight Dan Ige has left rivals absolutely flabbergasted after a one-punch bomb knocked his opponent into next week.

Dan Ige has left the UFC stunned after he delivered one of the cleanest knockouts the promotion has seen in some time in Las Vegas.

The 32-year-old from Hawaii has been in the UFC since 2018, having earned the nickname “50k” for his penchant for claiming performance of the night bonuses in his fights.

Against Andre Fili in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer, he definitely earned his bonus.

UFC 298: VOLKANOVSKI VS TOPURIA | SUN 18 FEB | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the new exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View events!

While initially meant to face the 14th ranked featherweight Lerone Murphy, an injury saw the 13th ranked Ige matched with former training partner Fili step in.

But Fili may have been regretting his decision after Ige threw a vicious right hand to leave the 33-year-old seeing stars.

Ige added another punch on the ground for good measure before walking off.

What a shot from Ige. Photo: Twitter

That was devastating. Photo: Twitter

Other UFC fighters liked what they saw.

Kamaru Usman wrote: “My man 50KKKK”.

Derek Brunson added: “FREEIGE. That was the easiest play of the day !”

Aussie Megan Anderson posted: “Oh good lord Dan Ige — that was too freaking clean..”

Chris Curtis commented: “People are going to learn to stop calling out people you’ve trained with. Lol some of us are considerate training partners, but when there is money on the line … whelp. Way to f’n go @Dynamitedan808”.

Content creator Hyon Ko commented: “Ige just detonated a bomb.”

Post-fight, Ige said he was friends with Fili but couldn’t let that get in the way.

He added that Fili “messes me up” in sparring but wasn’t about to let that happen under the bright lights.

“I love Andre, man. He’s like one of my most favourite people in this fight game,” Ige said.

“I couldn’t let that get in the way of the business. That’s just how it goes sometimes. You fight people you like.

“I knew if I went in there and was his friend in there, he would have had much more success. I had to go in there and have some mean intentions, and I got it done.”

Prates reshaped Giles' face. Photo: Twitter

Giles was in la la land. Photo: Twitter

It wasn’t the only wild KO of the night.

The final fight of the prelims saw Carlos Prates start slow in his UFC debut but finish with a bang against Trevin Giles.

After landing a knee to the body, Prates landed a right job before a monster left saw Giles’ eyes roll into the back of his head.

The finish came straight after commentator Dominck Cruz said: “Watch his left hand, it’s like a laser. It comes out of nowhere because he sets it up with all these kicks and knees.”

Carlos Prates knocks out Trevin Giles in his UFC debut pic.twitter.com/0oeMLS0kB4

— MMA Mania (@mmamania) February 11, 2024

Oh damn!!! What a finish out of nowhere!! #UFCVegas86

— Marcel Dorff 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) February 11, 2024

Damn. He got hit so hard that Joe Biden remembered he was the President. #UFC

— MMA Roasted (@MMARoasted) February 11, 2024

Not the worst way to get a W. Nice work from Prates there. Woof. #UFCVegas86

— Drake Riggs (@DrakeRiggs_) February 11, 2024

It was an impressive start to Prates’ UFC career, having come to prominence in the Dana White Contender Series.

Prates is a kickboxing star, revealing he had “102 or 103 fights” before getting to the UFC.

“There was a time when I tried to walk away from MMA and only fight kickboxing,” Prates said on MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca podcast.

“But MMA was always coming back to my life — and here I am now, fighting for the world’s biggest MMA promotion.”

In the main event, Hermansson claimed a unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47), coming back from a slow start.