TLDR
- Costa is a -225 favorite; Ige is a +185 underdog
- Costa is on a 5-fight win streak; Ige has lost 3 of his last 4
- Costa leads Ige in striking accuracy, takedowns, and submissions across the board
- Ige is a durable veteran but has been showing signs of slowing down
- Most analysts predict a Costa win, either by decision or stoppage
Full Main Card Odds
Fight Time – UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez
| Time Zone | Time |
|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 8:00 PM Saturday |
| Central (CT) | 7:00 PM Saturday |
| Mountain (MT) | 6:00 PM Saturday |
| Pacific (PT) | 5:00 PM Saturday |
| GMT (UK) | 1:00 AM Sunday |
| AEST (Australia) | 12:00 PM Sunday |
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas Stream: Paramount+
MMA Fighter Highlights | Prospects Making DEBUT on UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez | UFC PREVIEW
📺https://t.co/u2btsRyj12
🚩Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez
🚩Geoff Neal vs. Uroš Medić
🚩Dan Ige vs. Melquizael Costa
🚩Serghei Spivac vs. Ante Delija pic.twitter.com/Pp3Tykw5f3— UFC FIGHT NIGHT (@kibria29638) February 21, 2026
Dan Ige and Melquizael Costa fight Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 267 in Houston, Texas. The featherweight bout is on the main card at Toyota Center.
Costa enters the fight on a five-fight winning streak. Ige has gone 1-3 in his last four fights.
Costa is the clear betting favorite across all major sportsbooks, priced between -220 and -230. Ige sits between +176 and +185 depending on the book.
Costa’s last fight was a first-round KO win over Morgan Charriere in December. He also has submission wins over Andre Fili and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke during his current streak.
Ige is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Patricio Pitbull at UFC 318 in July 2025. Before that, he stopped Sean Woodson by TKO in round three at UFC 314.
Both fighters are the same height with a matching 71-inch reach. The physical tools are even on paper.
The numbers tell a different story. Costa lands 4.42 significant strikes per minute compared to Ige’s 3.62, and connects at a 59.66% accuracy rate versus Ige’s 49.56%.
Costa also has a clear edge in the grappling game. His takedown average is 1.93 per 15 minutes versus Ige’s 0.89, with better accuracy too.
Ige’s Path to Victory
Ige is a technical boxer who does his best work standing. He needs to keep the fight upright and land his cleaner shots early.
His durability is one of his biggest strengths. He’s hard to stop and often works his way back to his feet after being taken down.
Costa’s Advantages
Costa’s submission game is his main weapon, but his striking has improved. He can mix in kicks, takedowns, and ground work to keep Ige guessing.
In his loss to Pitbull, Ige was taken down five times and never found his rhythm. Costa has the tools to create the same problems.
Analysts are split on the finish. Some expect Costa to earn a decision; others like him by stoppage in rounds two or three.
One MMA Junkie analyst picked Ige based on experience and fights against elite competition, calling for a close split decision either way.
Costa’s UFC record stands at 6-2. A win over Ige, a Top 15 veteran, would be his biggest result to date.
Ige, now 19-10, risks dropping further down the featherweight rankings with a loss. He is currently in danger of falling out of the Top 15.
The fight is expected to start around 9:40 PM ET on Paramount+.
