Dan Ige and Melquizael Costa meet on the main card of UFC Fight Night 267 on Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Last event’s results: 5-1
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UFC main cards, 2026: 11-5
Dan Ige vs. Melquizael Costa UFC Fight Night 267 preview
Ige (19-10 MMA, 11-9 UFC) has struggled to maintain winning momentum in recent years. He enters his first fight of the year following a unanimous decision loss to Patricio Freire last July. In the fight prior, he finished Sean Woodson by TKO in the third round.
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Costa (25-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC), on the other hand, has been running hot as he comes in on a five-fight winning streak. His current run includes stoppages of Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, Andre Fili and Morgan Charriere, to go along with decision wins over Christian Rodriguez and Julian Erosa.
Dan Ige vs. Melquizael Costa UFC Fight Night 267 expert pick, prediction
erving as a solid action fight at featherweight is a battle between Dan Ige and Melquizael Costa.
Although I have an admitted bias toward Ige and his head coach Eric Nicksick, I also have a lot of love and respect for Costa (whom I elected as this year’s Under-the-Radar Fighter of the Year here at MMA Junkie).
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Costa’s kicking game at range and submission threats in close will certainly keep Ige honest, but the rising Brazilian has shown that he’s not beyond being tagged by big hitters in closed quarters.
Even if it’s easy to get caught up in the resume weeds when looking solely at Ige’s results, it’s important to remember the context around Ige’s record – a record that’s filled with incredibly close losses to the elite of the division. This will also be Xtreme Couture’s second swing at bat against Costa since Julian Erosa came up short in a competitive fight that went the distance.
This is a significant step up for Costa, but he stands to make my award selections age well if he passes the test this Saturday. Still, whether it’s bias or solid reasoning, I find myself leaning toward the more proven product in Ige.
Regardless of who wins, I’m expecting a competitive decision in a bout that will likely end in a sweaty split decision.
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Dan Ige vs. Melquizael Costa UFC Fight Night 267 odds
The oddsmakers and the public favor the Brazilian fighter, listing Costa -220 and Ige +176 via FanDuel.
Dan Ige vs. Melquizael Costa UFC Fight Night 267 start time, how to watch
Ige and Costa are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 9:40 p.m. ET. The fight streams live on Paramount+.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Houston: Dan Ige vs. Melquizael Costa prediction, start time
