According to UFC featherweight contender Frankie Edgar, there was a time the once-lightweight champion considered dropping down to featherweight and becoming champion in two weight classes.
The UFC put the kibosh on that, but not, apparently, for its newest superstar in Conor McGregor, who is slated to face Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 197 on March 5, 2016.
Edgar told Lance Pugmire of the L.A. Times that McGregor is getting the opportunity he was never granted:
“When you have that power he has — he brings in money for them — you can dictate a little more than others. Money talks. And when you bring in the money, I guess you can have more of a say.”
Long known as a fighter who speaks softly and carries a big stick, Edgar has recently become frustrated that being the “company man” hasn’t worked out that well for his career, becoming more vocal as dreams of his featherweight title shot slip away.
Left without a dancing partner until summer at the very earliest (depending on any injuries sustained by McGregor in his fight against dos Anjos), Edgar is now in the unenviable position of either taking the next half year off or finding a new opponent.
There are risks to both scenarios.
“I don’t want to be sitting here until June or July expecting to fight Conor and then something else happens like it has in the past, and then I’m left with another scenario of no-fight, no-money. That’s something I have to consider.”
Edgar could be described as having been Ryan Bader’d on this one. Much like Edgar, Bader industriously worked his way toward a title shot, only to be usurped by a returning Jon Jones.
Instead of opting to wait for a winner of that fight, Bader has agreed to a highly dangerous fight against Anthony Johnson, who has knocked out seven of his 10 opponents since settling at light heavyweight. Should be suffer a similar fate he could drop all the way back to the bottom of the ladder.
That’s a risk Edgar’s going to have to think long and hard about.
“I don’t know if they’re trying to get me out of the picture or what, but I’m hanging in there. Before I even think about who I want to fight, I have to think about what I want to do — if I’m even going to take a fight or not. I’m on the fence.”
Well, there’s always Edgar vs. Penn IV?
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