Prediction: Sean Woodson via Decision
Woodson has all the tools to control the fight and come out the winner. His high-level boxing background has been a massive part of his success, and with his unique size for the division—standing 6’2” with a 79-inch reach—most opponents struggle to get past his range and land anything significant. Ige is no exception. His power and accuracy are at their best when he’s in the pocket, but Woodson is a master at keeping fights at his preferred distance.
Woodson’s ability to strike while moving backward is one of his biggest weapons. A lot of rangy fighters struggle when pressured, but Woodson’s defense is airtight no matter where the fight takes place. Whether he’s putting his hands up to block, slipping and ripping counters, or rolling with punches to take the sting off, he rarely takes clean damage. His distance management is elite, and even when opponents do get inside, he’s developed the ability to clinch and land knees or elbows before circling out.
Over the last couple of years, Woodson has evolved into a complete MMA fighter instead of just a boxer. He now blends in knees and kicks seamlessly, setting them up with the same feints and misleads that make his hands so dangerous. His takedown defense has also improved significantly, sitting at 82% in the UFC, which is a major issue for Ige. While Ige has solid wrestling, he doesn’t bring the relentless chain-wrestling approach that would be necessary to truly test Woodson’s balance and scrambles. That means Ige is likely going to be stuck in a striking battle where Woodson’s range and volume will be too much to handle.
Ige’s biggest flaw in this matchup is how predictable he is when trying to enter range. He doesn’t create angles or use a lot of setups—he lunges in with big hooks or a looping overhand right, and those are telegraphed entries that Woodson will see coming from a mile away. Woodson’s jab, teep kicks, and straight punches down the middle are all designed to punish that exact type of approach. If Ige can’t find a way to close distance safely, he’s going to get picked apart for the majority of the fight.
The only real opening for Ige is in the third round, when Woodson historically starts to slow down. While Woodson maintains a solid pace, his long frame and high-volume style naturally lead to fatigue later in fights. If Ige can apply heavy pressure and force Woodson into exchanges in the pocket, that’s where he’ll have his best chance to land something big. But that’s easier said than done. Given the way Woodson controls range and minimizes damage, it’s far more likely that he keeps Ige on the outside and racks up points on the scorecards.