Frankie Edgar has been doubted his entire career.
The 28-year-old Toms River, New Jersey native spent his climb up the UFC lightweight ladder listening to critics discussing how successful he could be if he were to drop to the featherweight division and fight at 145-pounds.
Edgar proved he belonged by upsetting lightweight champion BJ Penn when the two met at UFC 112 in April. Despite earning a unanimous decision from the three judges at ringside, “The Answer” still faced a litany of questions following the biggest win of his career.
Two of the more prominent challenges facing any new champion are the “you should have to knock out or submit the champion to win the belt” argument and the “you’re not really a champion until you defend the title for the first time.” With 12-plus pounds of gold around his waist and a chance to defeat Penn for a second time only days away, Edgar offered his opinion on both statements.
“A win’s a win, man, and that’s why we have judges,” replied the UFC lightweight champion when asked about the first of the two challenges to his new place atop the 155-pound division. “Obviously, a knockout or a stoppage will put a stamp on it.
“Looking at BJ and what he’s been doing to everybody in the division,” continued Edgar, “stopping everybody and pretty much running through everybody, I guess what I did was the next best thing you could do and just beat him.”
What Edgar did was more than just “the next best thing.” His victory was one of the biggest upsets of the year, not only in MMA, but in all of sports, and was acknowledged as such with an ESPY Award nomination earlier this summer. Previous to their meeting in Abu Dhabi, Penn was fresh off his annihilation of Diego Sanchez and hadn’t been beaten in the division in nearly eight years.
As for the second challenge, Edgar agrees with the assertion.
“It’s true, and I don’t want to be a one-and-done dude for sure,” said the Rutgers University wrestling team assistant coach. “We’ll see though; I’ve got a tough task ahead of me.”
Despite entering the fight as the reigning and defending champion, odds-makers have made Edgar the underdog for this fight, believing that beating Penn twice in a four-month span is indeed a tough task. The lingering doubt that remains for some was part of the reason Edgar was quick to accept the rematch.
“Dana called me and said, `I’d like to have you fight B.J. in August,’ and I said alright,” recalled Edgar of the conversation with UFC President Dana White that brings him to Boston this weekend. “He thinks it’s a more marketable fight than anything else in the 155-pound division, and again, B.J. has been on top of this division for such a long time that if anybody deserves an immediate rematch, it’s him.”
Many observers believe that Edgar beat a less-than-100% Penn that night in Abu Dhabi, and see that as another reason to move ahead with an immediate rematch. After the bout, reports from the former champion’s camp made reference to a possible sinus infection that took a toll on Penn’s abilities in the cage. While it very well could have played a part in Penn’s performance, Edgar still became the first lightweight to defeat Penn since Jens Pulver earned a majority decision over “The Prodigy” at UFC 35.
“It’s not like I train with the guy or I fought him before,” offered Edgar to the question of whether he felt Penn was at his best on April 10th in Abu Dhabi. “For me, he was pretty tough. You look at all the blogs and everything leading up to the fight, he seemed to be on his A-game; everything seemed to be going good.
“Again, sometimes if someone is hurt, they’re not exactly going to tell everyone about it,” continued the current top-ranked lightweight in the world. “You know, who knows? Maybe he was sick, maybe he was hurt, maybe he wasn’t. I really can’t tell you that.”
What Edgar can say is that his approach isn’t going to change the second time around. While many have speculated that we’ll see a more aggressive Penn this weekend in Boston – an idea Edgar agrees with – the defending champ is definitely going to bring the same style to this fight that got him here in the first place.
“I’m always going to try to fight my fight,” suggested Edgar, who, along with wife Renee and son Francesco, welcomed son Santino into the world in May. “I’m sure B.J. is going to make some adjustments, but there are some things in the films that I can improve or stuff that he does that maybe I can capitalize on. But I’m always going to fight the same. I’m always going to be pushing forward.”
Joining Edgar on the card bearing his name is the only man to have beaten him in his career, Gray Maynard. Before Edgar and Penn step into the cage for the second time, Maynard will face two-time title challenger and Massachusetts native Kenny Florian in a bout many believe will determine who will be the next man to contend for the lightweight title.
While Maynard has a formidable task before him and Edgar is certainly not looking past his second encounter with Penn, if the pair both emerge victorious, Edgar would welcome the opportunity to settle the score.
“He did beat me, straight up. We fought, he won, and so of course I’d love a chance to redo something I didn’t do and I thought I could do better,” Edgar offered honestly. “It’s not like I’m dwelling on it – I try not to have any negativity in my camp or in my life – but it’s a possible fight, so of course I’d love an opportunity to avenge a loss.”
Not one to worry about whom he might face next or get caught up in the pre-fight trash talk that has dominated recent events, Edgar has taken the time to sit back and take stock of his accomplishments and the opportunity that is before him this weekend. Four months after putting on the most impressive performance on the UFC’s debut card in Abu Dhabi, Edgar is headlining the company’s first trip to Boston as the lightweight champion and one of the best fighters in the entire sport.
“It’s been a long road,” admitted Edgar. “I’ve only been fighting for four or five years, but I’ve been competing in wrestling since I was in seventh grade. I felt every since I’ve competed, I’ve taken it seriously and I’ve trained hard and really dedicated myself. So for me to be a main event on a UFC card, being a champion – it’s a card called Edgar vs. Penn 2 – that blows my mind.”
There are a lot of other people who are surprised to see Frankie Edgar’s name atop the marquee.
They are the same people who said he should move down to featherweight, the ones who doubted him last April in Abu Dhabi, and the ones who made him the underdog heading into this weekend.
Doubt him all you want; Frankie Edgar is the UFC lightweight champion and he’s planning on still being champion Sunday morning, no matter what the betting line or the critics say.
