It’s long been discussed, but it seems Frankie Edgar is finally ready to move down to 135-pounds, a weight-class often touted as the most natural for his size.
Edgar was recently defeated in his last attempt at a featherweight championship by Max Holloway, in a firm unanimous decision. Following the fight, Edgar was adamant he would not walk away from the sport, and had plenty to offer. News of his drop to bantamweight was first reported by ESPN’s Brett Okamoto.
Edgar, a former lightweight champion, has long been linked with a drop to bantamweight, and is believed to be targeting UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden for his divisional debut. According to his coach Mark Henry, this could be the start of a successful new chapter.
“It feels like a new beginning for us,” Henry said, speaking to ESPN. “I love the kid, and I feel it will be safer for him at 135. He always does better when he fights guys his own size. When he’s fighting guys with similar height and range — sometimes they still weigh more than him, but I feel like it’s an even playing field.
“He was barely cutting any weight at featherweight. I think during this last camp, he was 152 pounds a few weeks before the fight. And he hadn’t started cutting yet.”
At the moment, bantamweight finds itself in an interesting situation, with champion Henry Cejudo ruled out with injury. Names like Aljamain Sterling, Petr Yan, Raphael Assuncao and Edgar’s teammate Marlon Moraes all find themselves near the top of the rankings.
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