Frankie Edgar to weigh 135 pounds for first time since high school – unless Conor McGregor fight happens
LOS ANGELES – Frankie Edgar hasn’t weighed 135 pounds since he was a high school wrestler, but that isn’t stopping “The Answer” from making the descent.
A former champion at lightweight, Edgar will drop from featherweight to bantamweight for his next outing. He isn’t sure where or when his divisional debut will be, but Edgar told MMA Junkie on Tuesday he is staying ready.
“I thought I was going to fight in November, so I started getting down a little bit,” Edgar said at a media day for Dominance MMA. “It was coming off pretty easily and then I found out I wasn’t, so I put some back on. I walk around at 160 (pounds). I’m pretty sure that’s what most of the 135-pounders walk around at. I feel like I’m on pace naturally.”
Edgar said he expects cutting 10 extra pounds to be about as fun as it sounds. Now 37, Edgar hasn’t hit the 135-pound mark in 19 years. However, with a professional nutritionist on his side, Edgar expects to get it done safely.
“It’s not going to be as fun. I cut weight in college and in high school,” Edgar said. “I actually haven’t been down to 135 since my senior year. It’s not going to be fun, but we’ll do it. When I was in high school, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing and I made weight. In college, probably the same. Now I’ve got a nutritionist. I’ll do it the right way, and we’ll do it the right way.”
While Edgar was initially rumored to face Aljamain Sterling at UFC 244 on Nov. 2 in New York, the contest fell through when “The Funkmaster” was unable to get cleared by the commission and elected to undergo surgery instead. Regardless of his next opponent, Edgar wants another contender who will propel him towards championship gold.”
“I want someone who’s going to get me to the title,” Edgar said. “That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life since I’ve been in the UFC. It’s going be a ranked guy. It’s going to be a guy that can get me in contention and get me a chance at (bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo).”
Since Conor McGregor clinched the featherweight title in late 2015, Edgar’s name has been tied to former double champion. Despite the passage of time, Edgar and McGregor are still linked. As recently as a few weeks ago, McGregor’s trainer John Kavanagh stated his interest in his “Notorious” underling fighting Edgar.
“That was kind of surprising,” Edgar said. “The week I say I’m going to 135, he says he’ll fight. Every time he says he wants to fight me, I’m either injured or I have a fight booked. He knows I’m game. I told Dana (White) I’m game.
“Ultimately, I think it’s up to Conor. He’s the one who kind of controls it. Even if the UFC doesn’t want it, I think if he puts his foot down we’ll get there.”