UFC featherweight star Dan Ige‘s nickname ’50k’ is a reference to the UFC bonuses that are given to fighters for impressive, gasp-worthy performances. And the Hawaii native does live up to his moniker, with forty percent of his UFC wins being worthy of the $50k Performance of the Night bonus.

His all-out, take-no-prisoner style, of course, is always popular with the fans and has made Ige quite admired by many, even if the former wrestler is not the most successful fighter in the division. Ige, of course, has a strong wrestling and BJJ base, which he combines with his exciting striking to entertain fans. In this article, we take a closer look at his coach and teammates, who have been crucial in shaping him into the fighter fans love and adore.

Who is Dan Ige’s coach?

Dan Ige trains under a great coach, who has trained multiple UFC champions, Eric Nicksick. The BJJ black belt, of course, is one of the best coaches going around, as is apparent from the success his fighters have had (which we will see in more detail later).

Nicksick, unlike most MMA coaches, never fought professionally. In fact, the coach has not even really competed in the amateur circuit either. Fighting wasn’t even something he had any interest in but started training just because he wanted to take his life in a new direction.

Nicksick’s first love was football, which he played both in high school and college. While this lack of any competitive experience may on paper seem like a drawback for a coach, not so in Nicksick’s case. In fact, it was very natural for the Nevada native to become a coach. Coaching, it is safe to say, is in the Nicksick’s blood. After all, not only was his father a coach, but so were two of his uncles.

It seemed natural, therefore, for Xtreme Couture’s head coach to take up what is essentially his family trade, even if he chose a different sport from his father and uncles. And not only is Ige’s coach one of the absolute best in the world, ’50k’s teammates, too, are of the highest caliber.

Where does Dan Ige train? Teammates and gym

Ige is stablemates with many former and current champions in the storied Xtreme Couture gym. Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, and former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka train alongside Ige at the storied gym.

Former women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate, part of the golden era of women’s MMA, is also an Xtreme Couture product. The gym, of course, was founded by legendary former UFC champion Randy Couture in 2007 and still bears its name, even if ‘The Natural’ is no longer associated with it.

And Nicksick, who started as a student at the gym back before it was open to the public, went from a grunt working out at the gym to training world champions there. And Dan Ige, hopefully, goes on to become one of them. What are your thoughts on Dan Ige’s team?