“You don’t have to be the best fighter in the world to win a fight,” said Frankie Edgar, reciting a quote he added comes from legendary heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey. “You just have to be the best fighter that night.”
That’s the mindset that will drive Edgar, a native of Toms River, N.J., on Saturday night when he challenges Max Holloway for the UFC featherweight championship in the main event of UFC 240 in Edmonton, Alberta.
Holloway, a viciously skilled mixed martial artist, is a clear favorite. He had won 13 fights in a row before losing by decision to Dustin Poirier in April when they battled for the interim lightweight title.
Holloway (20-4) wore a look of concern and zero clothing as he barely made the 145-pound weight limit on Friday. Otherwise, he has looked virtually unbeatable at featherweight, though his body may be outgrowing the division. None of it rattles Edgar (23-6-1), who clings to the Dempsey quote for inspiration.
“For the 25 minutes we’re fighting, I’ve got to be the best fighter in the world,” Edgar said.
At age 37, Edgar is making his third attempt to win the featherweight title and become a rare two-division champion. He first won the lightweight title by upsetting B.J. Penn at UFC 112 in 2010. Nine years later, Edgar remains relevant and competing at a high level. His résumé and longevity already have made him a worthy candidate for future induction in the UFC Hall of Fame.
“He’s a legend,” Holloway said of Edgar. “He’s the man.”
Becoming a two-division champ is important to Edgar, who came up as a former collegiate wrestling star when the UFC was just starting to hit the mainstream. Undersized as a lightweight, he attracted a legion of fans as he learned to fight with his fists and his feet. Winning the featherweight title would be the latest highlight of an already memorable legacy.
“I have been a wanting another shot at this title, and I don’t care who I fight,” Edgar said. “I just want to fight for the title. But I like the matchup and the fact that it’s against Max and he has been so dominant. I like the challenge.”
The list of two-division champions has been growing with the recent additions of Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier and Amanda Nunes. Edgar could be next.
“It would mean everything I’ve worked for over the years wasn’t wasted,” he said. “To be in the same conversation with the people who have done it would be huge.”
Edgar runs a successful gym in New Brunswick, N.J., where competitors from as far away as Russia come to train. Edgar isn’t entertaining calling it a career anytime soon, but appreciates how long he has been able to be a main-card fighter.
“I think it goes to show you that I’ve been professional throughout my whole career,” Edgar said. “I’m always in the gym and always looking to improve. I’ve stayed relevant ever since I’ve been here. A lot of people have been around as long as I have, but I don’t think there have been as many people who have been on top like I have.
“But I feel like I’m still learning,” he added. “I think there are areas I’m always improving on. That’s because I’m constantly working on it tirelessly. I’m not getting stagnant. It’s still fresh for me. I’m still in the gym with eyes wide open eager to learn.”
Prediction: Edgar by decision. Holloway looked seriously drained at the weigh-in. That could be a factor late in the fight, when Edgar’s conditioning and experience become factors.
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