UFC Busan, The Morning After: The End Of The ‘Answer Era’

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Here’s what you may have missed from last night!

Reading my own headline, I’m deeply saddened.

I grew up about an hour’s drive from Toms River, New Jersey, the oft-shouted out home base of Frankie Edgar. When “The Answer” upset BJ Penn back in April of 2010, I was 14 years old, just a few months into my own martial arts journey as a burgeoning jiu-jitsu dork. Months later, I was lucky enough to pose for a picture with the newly minted champion at a fan meet-and-greet. Over and over, I watched him pull off impossible acts as an undersized kingpin. Often, the entire gym would gather to watch Edgar compete — it was a community event, and an inspirational one at that.

The point here is that I f*cking adore Frankie Edgar. He’s a childhood hero, one of the first athletes I looked up to in the sport of MMA. Since I left New Jersey for Sacramento, California and Team Alpha Male, Edgar has fought and beat men who are my real life team mates, coaches, and friends.

I still love the guy.

So, as much as I would really, really prefer not to admit it, the fact that even I can recognize the terrible consequences of Edgar’s loss to Jung is pretty damning. It’s a defeat that ends Edgar’s status as a top contender — in any division. That’s a serious assertion: Edgar has been in the title mix without pause since 2009, a ten-year stretch of incredible performances and remarkable grit against the absolute best in the world.

Yet, in the words of John Lennon, the dream is over.

At 38 years of age, Edgar has now lost consecutive fights for just the second time in his career. Hell, if that second Benson Henderson title fight was scored correctly, it would be the first time (told you I’m a Frankie fan). Far worse than the mere career stats was the fight itself: Jung pummeled Edgar. It was brutal, efficient work. The South Korean seemed to have no concern for Edgar’s offense or game plan. He simply took a moment to get his timing and then beat him senseless.

Credit to Jung for his sharpness, but it also seemed that Edgar could offer no resistance. That’s not to say he didn’t try — Edgar worked his ass off in an attempt to survive Jung’s power punches and back mount. He spent several minutes flattened out on his belly in the worst possible position, and Edgar still tried to fire off a jab the second he regained his feet.

He was clobbered for his efforts.

All the heart in the world cannot defeat age and athleticism. Edgar had no answer for Jung’s athletic advantage, one that likely didn’t exist just a year or two ago. As a result, the man with the most Octagon time in UFC history took even more damage in a fight that really did not offer much to gain anyway.

Bantamweight is not a solution. Edgar may be able to better compete at 135 lbs., and perhaps he’ll even be the taller fighter for once. Last night’s loss, however, is a definitive indication that the top athletes of Bantamweight will still hold considerable physical advantages over him, and we now fully understand the savage outcome of such a match up.

I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong.

For complete UFC Fight Night 165: “Edgar vs. Jung” results and play-by-play, click HERE!