Frankie Edgar says he has one fight left on UFC contract, still plans move to bantamweight

Frankie Edgar has lost three out of his past four fights – but he’s not done yet.

On a recent episode of the “JRE MMA Show,” Edgar (23-8-1 MMA, 17-8-1 UFC) reflected on his recent first-round TKO loss to Chan Sung Jung and dished on his fighting future.

His UFC on ESPN+ 23 defeat took place days before Christmas and put a damper on Edgar’s holiday. It’s easy to have regrets in hindsight, but Edgar didn’t go that route. Despite the short notice nature of the fight, the loss was just that – a loss.

“Obviously, the fight with ‘Korean Zombie,’ I felt like I never got a chance to get going,” Edgar said. “He got me with a good shot. I was really down on myself. That was a tough one. I was really down on myself for awhile. Nobody takes losses well – no one competitive. I definitely took it pretty bad. Christmas was right here. In my head, I took the fight on short notice. Bbut I never once took a fight and didn’t think I was going to win – two weeks’ notice. I was in shape. I was training – not like I was training for a fight, but I was training pretty good. I believe in myself.

“I thought I was going to go in there, put this dude away, come home and enjoy Christmas. It turned out to be the opposite. It was a little depressing during Christmastime. You try to be nice and loving with your family, but what’s weighing over my head is I just got (expletive) TKO’d.”

Edgar, 38, originally was booked to drop to 135 pounds to take on Cory Sandhagen at this past Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 24 event in Raleigh, N.C. When the Jung fight opened up, Edgar elected to step in on short notice instead. As for what’s next, the former UFC champ said bantamweight is still in his immediate plans.

“I’m going to go down to 135,” Edgar said. “I’m probably like 156 right now. … My last fight, I was getting down to 145. I got down to 144.5. That’s only 8.5 (pounds) over where I’ve got to be to make 136. It was such an easy cut for this last time. … I think late spring or early summer, (I’ll be back) at 135.”

No matter whom, when or where Edgar fights next, the bout will be the last on his current UFC contract. While he isn’t totally ruling out the possibility of exploring free agency, the longtime UFC athlete hopes to stay put, if possible.

“It’ll be 13 years I’ve been in the UFC coming in February,” Edgar said. “… Money talks. But I mean, honestly, if I was being straight up, where would I want to finish my career? I do want to finish in the UFC. I got in the UFC at 5-0. I pretty much grew up here.

“It’d be nice to finish it here, but everything has to make sense.”