Ige Vs. Pitbull Odds, Full Fight Preview & Prediction

Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight veterans Dan Ige vs. Patricio Pitbull will throw down this weekend (Sat., July 19, 2025) at UFC 318 inside Smooth King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Ige may be a Contenders Series pickup like most others on the roster, but he’s been around the block a time or two. The ranked Featherweight contender has really fought many of the division’s best at some point or another, establishing himself as a hard-nosed power puncher who rarely makes for an easy

fight.

Pitbull, conversely, spent the majority of his career and his prime in Bellator, becoming two-division champion and arguably the promotion’s best fighter. He had already started to fall off prior to joining the UFC roster, but the 38-year-old Brazilian is intent to prove he still has something to offer after a decidedly disappointing loss to Yair Rodriguez in his promotional debut back in April.

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:

Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Ige vs. Pitbull Betting Odds

• Dan Ige victory: -175
• Dan Ige via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
• Dan Ige via submission: TBD
• Dan Ige via decision: TBD
• Patricio Pitbull victory: +145
• Patricio Pitbull via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
• Patricio Pitbull via submission: TBD
• Patricio Pitbull via decision: TBD
• Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

How Ige Wins

Ige is a really interesting striker with a cinderblock of a right hand. Despite his power, he’s not a straightforward slugger, preferring to setup his connections with shifting combinations along the outside. He’s also a really nasty top player, although that aspect of his game isn’t seen as often since joining the top ranks.

In this match up, Ige’s has two real paths to victory against the sharp counter puncher. First and foremost, he can feint often and hide his entrances. Ige is already pretty crafty with his combinations, so if he focuses on remaining unpredictable and dulling his opponent’s timing, he can build a volume edge or hurt the decorated Brazilian.

Alternatively, this is a rare match up in which Ige has the height and reach edge. He has some powerful kicks and a nice jab, so that’s another option for the Hawaiian. He could try to jab up Pitbull and forced the counter striker to open up, lest he fall behind on the points game.

Ideally, Ige will mix up both approaches. If he’s winning the range battle and setting up his combos in a smart manner, Ige could score one of the best wins of his pro career.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

How Pitbull Wins

Pitbull has been a professional fighter for 21 years! The Brazilian is an expert of his craft, an incredibly accurate counter puncher and elite jiu-jitsu player. He’s not at his best anymore, but Pitbull is still a very good Featherweight.

This is a much better match up for Pitbull than Yair Rodriguez, who was way too long and dynamic with his kicks. Pitbull just couldn’t close distance at all without getting cracked by his younger, more athletic foe, but that’s not the situation here. Pitbull and Ige are much closer in stature, and Pitbull should be able to display his skills more effectively as a result.

I would like to see patient pressure from Pitbull here. Ige’s lateral movement sometimes lands him on the fence, which would be a good time for Pitbull to shoot, as Ige has struggled with getting stuck on bottom before. If instead Ige tries to punch his way off the fence, Pitbull should have the eyes to see those shots coming and time his own connection.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Ige vs. Pitbull Prediction

I actually like this stylistic match up for the former Bellator kingpin.

Pitbull lost to Rodriguez because of a significant size and athleticism gap, one exacerbated by the age and wear-and-tear difference. Ige still holds the latter advantages, but he’s not dramatically faster or bigger than Pitbull. As such, Pitbull should be able to trade and wrestle at a much more “fair” level, meaning his technique and experience will actually be very valuable.

Between his counter shots and takedowns, I expect Pitbull to make up for a slight volume gap by having the bigger moments in each round. It’ll be a close, competitive fight, but Pitbull should earn the first win of his UFC career.

Prediction: Pitbull via decision

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