It may not be the main event, but competing in the featured preliminary bout of UFC 205 is still a prestigious honor. Frankie Edgar and Jeremy Stephens will earn that distinction as they head for a featherweight collision that will greatly further the winner’s title designs.
Edgar comes into the fight after failing to avenge a loss to Jose Aldo. The losing effort brought Edgar’s five-fight win streak to an end. Though certainly a blow to his momentum, Edgar remains firmly in title contention, and a victory over Stephens would help kick-start another championship run.
Stephens has posted mixed results lately, dropping three of his last five matches. Though numerically unimpressive, both recent wins came against lofty competition, including Dennis Bermudez and former bantamweight champion Renan Barao.
In the lead-up to UFC 205, Bleacher Report examines the Edgar-Stephens matchup, investigating the areas of the bout that each man will shine and which is likely to have his hand raised at the end of the evening.