A superfight was on in the Philippines, as former champions collided in the main event of UFC Fight Night 66 on Saturday.
Urijah Faber and Frankie Edgar met in an anticipated bout that headlined the UFC’s first trip to the Philippines. The back-and-forth bout featured great action from both men, and it was definitely in the running for Fight of the Night.
When it was all said and done, Edgar walked away victorious with the unanimous-decision victory. He swept the scorecards, though the fight was much closer than the 50-45 tally indicated.
What did we learn from the fight? Let’s take a look.
What We’ll Remember from This Fight
The fight was high-paced.
Both men have high outputs and are known for being busy. That was especially true of Edgar, who constantly pushed forward in the bout and put the pressure on Faber.
That said, The California Kid did not back down. He stayed in the pocket, threw heavy leather and refused to give in.
Of course, Edgar won. However, props go to Faber, who stepped up a weight class to take this fun bout.
What We Learned About Faber
He deserves more credit than he gets.
A lot of times, Faber seems overrated due to his popularity. He has been inconsistent in title fights, which has earned him some flak from the MMA community.
But think about it: This is his first non-title loss in his career.
That’s impressive given his long, illustrious run in the sport.
What We Learned About Edgar
He is as good as advertised.
Edgar is usually on the marquee of fight cards and for good reason. He is an exciting, high-quality combatant with good all-around ability.
There’s a reason he’s an ex-champion. He’s continually getting better and shows that there is life after a title run.
What’s Next for Faber?
He should head back to the bantamweight division. That much is certain.
A date with Johnny Eduardo seems to be in the cards. Team Alpha Male and Nova Uniao have quite the competition going in the lighter weight classes, so pitting two of their better participants against each other would make for a worthwhile event.
The bout could put Faber back in the title picture at 135 pounds or advance the unheralded Eduardo in the process.
What’s Next for Edgar?
Edgar appears to be in line for a title shot, whether it’s against Jose Aldo or Conor McGregor. That fight has to play out first at UFC 189, but there is no doubt we have a future main event on our hands.
Edgar proved once again that he’s a pound-for-pound beast and a guy who is championship-material. Give him a title fight in his next bout so he can show it.
If a title fight is out of question, he could always match up with Max Holloway. It would be an interesting fight that could provide a top contender.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com