UFC Vegas 86 video: Dan Ige flattens Andre Fili with devastating first-round knockout

Dan Ige lived up to his nickname with a $50K bonus worthy knockout in the UFC Vegas 86 co-main event.

Taking on friend and sometimes training partner Andre Fili on Saturday night, Ige had to set personal feelings aside and just get to work, which is exactly what he did. Following a few back-and-forth exchanges on the feet, Ige uncorked a perfectly timed right hand that blasted Fili on the chin and sent him crashing to the canvas.

Ige followed up with one more punch that officially ended Fili’s night as the referee rushed in to stop the contest with the end coming at 2:43 in the opening round.

“I love Andre,” Ige said afterwards. “I couldn’t let that get in the way. I knew I couldn’t go out there and play pitter-patter. He’s a bigger, taller guy. I knew if I could get inside, I could land that right over the top. I just had to put a stamp on it.”

From the first strikes thrown in the fight, Ige kept measuring his punches as he dealt with Fili’s reach advantage on the feet. Fili did a good job staying at distance early, peppering away at Ige with long punches and kicks from the outside.

That all changed when Ige figured out Fili’s timing and he started looking for openings to put some fight finishing power behind his punches.

Like he was firing a rocket from his right hand, Ige launched a punch from his hip and exploded on Fili’s chin. The Team Alpha Male fighter’s head snapped around as he crumbled to the canvas.

Ige stood over top and unloaded one more punch for good measure just to make sure the fight was over before he began celebrating another knockout win.

It will be hard to deny Ige another post-fight bonus after that kind of statement making performance as he also earns a second highlight reel victory with his wife just days away from giving birth — he did the exact same thing when demolishing Gavin Tucker back in 2021. Now Ige baby No. 2 will join the world after the 32-year-old Hawaiian collected another stunning knockout on Saturday night.