This Saturday night at UFC 240, Frankie Edgar is getting another chance to join the exclusive two-division champion club when he takes on Max Holloway. Edgar, the former UFC lightweight champion, will look to take Holloway’s belt and become the UFC featherweight champion, adding another milestone to his incredible UFC career.
Win or lose, though, Edgar has already proven himself to be one of the greatest fighters to ever step inside the Octagon. Regardless of what happens against Holloway this Saturday night in Edmonton, Alberta, Edgar is a future UFC Hall of Famer, and will go down as one of the best to ever put the gloves on.
What is perhaps most amazing about Edgar’s career is how long he’s been at the top of the game for. He made his UFC debut back in 2007, and for the past 12 years has been a perennial top-five fighter in both the UFC lightweight and featherweight division. That sort of longevity in a sport that’s known as a young man’s game is something that makes Edgar truly special.
It’s hard to believe, but it was back in 2010 when Edgar first defeated BJ Penn to become the UFC lightweight champion in an upset at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi. He then defended the belt against Penn in a rematch at UFC 118 in Boston, and then defended it two more times against Gray Maynard. Edgar lost his belt to Benson Henderson back in 2012 and that was the last time he was a champion in the UFC, but he’s still remained a top title contender in the seven years since then.
In early 2013, Edgar decided to make the move down to featherweight and take on long-time champion Jose Aldo for the belt at 145lbs. He fought Aldo tooth-and-nail for five rounds at UFC 156, but came up a bit short in his quest for the belt. After five straight more wins, Edgar got another chance to fight Aldo at UFC 200. Once again, he dropped a decision to the champion. But it didn’t stop him from wanting to reach his goal of becoming a double champ in the UFC.
Since the second loss to Aldo, Edgar has gone 3-1, and he got himself another title shot against Holloway after beating Cub Swanson in his last fight. Now 37, Edgar is not the young buck he once was. But he’s still a very quality fighter who is the de facto No. 1 contender in a division that Holloway has essentially cleaned out already. With Holloway beating almost every other featherweight contender worthy of a title shot, it makes sense to give Edgar another crack at the gold.
Even late in his career, Edgar is still one of the best in the world. It’s amazing how long and storied of a career he’s had, one that’s had so many ups and downs. But through it all, Edgar has persevered and managed to remain relevant as a top contender in the UFC for over a decade. In a sport that chews fighters up and spits them out, it’s incredible how long Edgar has remained a top fighter for.
Edgar is already well on his way to becoming a UFC Hall of Famer. Win or lose against Holloway, his standing as one of the greatest to ever step inside the Octagon is already locked up. But he still has his own personal goals to achieve, and being a rare two-division champion in the UFC is something he badly wants to do. This Saturday in the main event at UFC 240, Edgar gets his chance to become just that. The UFC has given him the opportunity he deserves, and now it’s up to Edgar to shock the world once again and take the belt from Holloway.
