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The lengthy and illustrious profession of Frankie Edgar will without end go down within the historical past books
Starting his profession in July of 2005, Frankie Edgar would storm by way of native competitors en path to signing a cope with the UFC at 6-0. This noticed him end his first 4 opponents, and it noticed him seize and defend the Realty Preventing light-weight championship previous to coming over.
Edgar received the title towards future WEC veteran and ROC featherweight champion Deividas Taurosevicius (4-1), earlier than defending it a single time towards fellow future UFC staple Jim Miller (5-0). He handed Miller the primary defeat of his profession, and Miller went on to turn out to be the winningest fighter in UFC historical past.
Upon arriving to the massive present, Edgar would dominate former Gladiator Problem featherweight champion Tyson Griffin (8-0, UD) in his UFC debut, changing into the one man to defeat Griffin all through his first six promotional bouts, earlier than stopping (TKO) Mark Bocek (4-0) within the first spherical of his sophomore effort.
Edgar would then defeat longtime UFC light-weight staple Spencer Fisher (20-3, UD) in his subsequent contest earlier than dropping for the primary time. Then fellow undefeated Grey Maynard (4-0) could be the person handy Edgar his first defeat, doing so by way of unanimous choice.
Maynard was a lot larger than Edgar, as had been most, and he was the superior wrestler, securing 9 takedowns in quarter-hour versus Edgar’s one.
Edgar returned practically a 12 months later to defeat Sherk (35-3-1) himself, handily securing 30-27’s throughout the board.
Coming off back-to-back victories over a pair of former world champions, Edgar would then defeat Matt Veach (11-0), submitting (rear bare choke) him halfway by way of the second spherical, and he’d subsequent be dealing with probably the greatest to ever do it in a world title battle of his personal.
‘The Reply’ defeated a major BJ Penn (15-5-1) by way of unanimous choice in April of 2010 to assert the UFC
One factor is for sure although, nobody anticipated Edgar to even give Penn a battle.
All of us thought Penn would storm straight by way of him.
Edgar’s second protection would come towards a well-known face, the one man to had ever defeated him, Grey Maynard (10-0).
This shortly changed into one of many biggest fights of all-time however led to a draw; one choose scoring it 48-46 for Edgar, one scoring it 48-46 for Maynard, and the third scoring it 47-47.
An instantaneous trilogy would ensue, and early on, it was the identical as their second battle. Maynard (10-0-1) was busting
Former WEC light-weight champion Benson Henderson (15-2) could be subsequent to problem Edgar for his crown, somebody who’d gone 3-0 since becoming a member of the UFC’s roster, himself having defeated Mark Bocek and Jim Miller in that point similar to Edgar.
As soon as the bout was mentioned and accomplished, Henderson walked away because the UFC light-weight champion. It was an awesome battle, and each skills confirmed up and appeared unbelievable, however Henderson was simply the higher expertise of the 2 that evening.
One other quick rematch would come subsequent, the place Edgar was difficult Henderson (16-2) for the title he’d simply misplaced.
Edgar would lose to Henderson as soon as once more, this time by way of break up choice.
This was unlucky, as a result of most consider Edgar received their second battle.
Henderson received 4 rounds to 1 of their first encounter, and Edgar received three rounds to 2 within the rematch. It’s too dangerous; not solely as a result of Edgar deserved to reclaim his throne on this evening, but additionally as a result of we had been all robbed of an epic trilogy that in all probability ought to have occurred.
Nonetheless, the second straight setback motivated Edgar to drop right down to the featherweight division, the place he’d problem Jose Aldo (21-1) for the UFC featherweight championship in his divisional debut.
Although he’d lose this battle as nicely by way of unanimous choice, he did give Aldo his hardest take a look at up to now, solely being outstruck by 13 whole strikes, and even securing two takedowns through the five-round contest.
Edgar was in a little bit of a tough patch at this level, as he’d fallen from a 15-1-1 world champion to 15-4-1.
However he’d rebound with a unanimous choice win over future UFC light-weight champion Charles Oliveira (16-3), earlier than defeating BJ Penn (16-9-2) for the third and last time, this time ending the previous champion by way of TKO in spherical three.
‘The Reply’ would then completely dominate longtime high featherweight contender Cub Swanson (21-5), submitting (neck crank) him with simply 4 seconds left on the clock of their 5 spherical affair. Swanson got here into that bout on a six-fight win streak, and many people believed he ought to have been preventing for the title at the moment.
Edgar’s subsequent take a look at got here towards former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber (32-7), who he handily received all 5 rounds towards en path to a unanimous choice victory.
Conor McGregor had defeated Jose Aldo for the title round this time, earlier than leaving the division to battle at 170 lbs, after which 155 lbs. Contemplating we didn’t know if it was only a hiatus or if McGregor was accomplished with the division, an interim title was created, the place Aldo (25-2) and Edgar (20-4-1) fought for it of their rematch at UFC 200.
Edgar was 5-1 at 145 lbs at this level, solely dropping to Aldo in these six fights.
One thing completely nobody predicted would come about in Edgar’s subsequent battle, as future two-time title challenger Brian Ortega (13-0) would KO him within the opening spherical with a vicious uppercut.
Edgar had maybe the best chin we’d ever seen within the sport up up to now in his profession; he’d taken Grey Maynard’s greatest photographs all through three fights, he took Jose Aldo’s greatest photographs all through two fights, BJ Penn’s, once more, all through three fights, he absorbed 23 head strikes towards Jeremy Stephens, one of the crucial brutal knockout artists ever. He’d at all times stayed in there and recovered higher than anybody.
‘The Reply’ defeated Cub Swanson (25-8) for a second time in his subsequent outing, earlier than difficult then champion Max Holloway (20-4) for the UFC featherweight championship, a battle he misplaced by way of one other unanimous choice.
A second straight defeat would observe in a while that 12 months the place he was TKO’d by former two-time title challenger Chan Sung Jung (15-5) within the opening spherical.
Edgar then determined to drop right down to bantamweight, the place he would decide up his lone victory within the division by way of break up choice over Pedro Munhoz (18-4). Many believed Munhoz to be the higher man when the battle was mentioned and accomplished, however it was very shut.
All through their 5 spherical encounter, Munhoz out-struck Edgar 166-135, although Edgar secured two takedowns towards the Brazilian contender.
Unlucky for Edgar and his followers, this is able to be the final time he received a battle.
‘The Reply’ would battle three extra occasions, all three of which noticed him get stopped with vicious KO defeats to the likes of Cory Sandhagen (13-2), Marlon Vera (17-7-1), and Chris Gutierrez (18-4-2).
Each the Sandhagen and Gutierrez defeats got here early on in spherical one, however he was really successful his battle with Vera, solely needing 70 extra seconds to safe victory over the present no. 4 ranked bantamweight on the planet.
All through his 36-fight profession, even previous to becoming a member of the UFC roster, Frankie Edgar at all times fought the perfect the game needed to supply. Even at 41 years of age, he went into his final battle towards maybe probably the most gifted unranked bantamweight on the planet, who now holds a no. 13 spot within the rankings.
The final time Edgar had fought an unranked opponent previous to this was again in 2013 and 2014 towards Charles Oliveira and BJ Penn. He did the unthinkable by defeating Penn of their first and second fights, he avenged the one blemishes on his report to Grey Maynard all through his first 17 fights, he KO’d Chad Mendes with ease in a battle everybody thought could be extremely contested, he handed present no. 2 ranked Yair Rodriguez his first UFC defeat, and dominantly at that.
Going into his UFC 281 bout towards Chris Gutierrez, Edgar said that he was going to retire following the competition it doesn’t matter what the result was. Regardless of going out on a three-fight skid, Edgar boasts wins over 5 world champions, and nobody can ever take that from him.
Most suppose that quantity ought to be six, contemplating how his rematch with Ben Henderson went.
What’s extra: Ought to he have gotten the nod within the Henderson rematch, he would have climb to 16-2-1, having avenged the one three blemishes on his report. Most of us consider he ought to have achieved that stat.
From debuting within the UFC simply 18 months following his skilled debut, to claiming the UFC light-weight championship in a battle nobody believed he may win towards a real nice in BJ Penn; all of the whereas weighing lower than our present flyweight champion, to finally going 3-0 in his three fights towards ‘The Prodigy’, to changing into a multi-time title challenger a division under at featherweight (9 whole UFC title fights), to securing wins in three totally different divisions and being ranked within the high 5 of three divisions, ‘The Reply’ definitely had a profession to write down residence about.
Edgar’s NCAA Division I stage wrestling aided him in successful so many fights, as did his unmatched endurance and fast, correct fingers. That’s what received him so many wins over the most effective on the planet.
‘The Reply’ retires from MMA in November of 2022 with a report of 24-11-1.
Thanks Frankie Edgar to your lengthy, illustrious profession. You can be missed.
Frankie Edgar’s Profession Accomplishments
- Actuality Preventing light-weight champion (one protection)
- UFC light-weight champion (two defenses, one retain)
- Knockout of the Evening (one time)
- Efficiency of the Evening (two occasions)
- Tied for many Combat of the Evening bonuses (Nate Diaz, Edson Barboza, Dustin Poirier)
- Biggest whole battle time in UFC historical past (7 hours, 57 minutes, 10 seconds)
- Secured wins throughout three divisions (135, 145, 155)
- Prime 5 throughout three divisions (135, 145, 155)
- Multi-division title challenger (145, 155)
- Wins over 5 world champions
I grew to become a fan of fight sports activities after I was 12 years outdated. I used to be scrolling by way of the channels and landed upon versus, the place WEC was televised. Urijah Faber fought Jens Pulver for the second time that evening. That’s the primary battle I noticed, and the battle that received me hooked on the game. Since then, the game has grown so quickly, and my objective is to enlighten everybody on what’s happening within the sport in the present day.
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