Frankie Edgar made the bold move of dropping down in weight class to face Jose Aldo, and that move will surely help him keep his three-year title run going.
Edgar (15-3-1) will face Aldo (21-1) in the main event at UFC 156, and that’s a tough task in and of itself. Aldo hasn’t lost since 2005, but if anyone can take him down, it’s Edgar.
At 145 pounds, Edgar appears to be in great shape. According to the Los Angeles Times, he thinks dropping down in weight has really helped him.
“Fighting at 145 has made me focus like never before on what I put into my body. It’s made me faster. My cardio is better. I feel more athletic.”
That’s certainly great news for fans of The Answer and horrible news for Aldo and his supporters.
Edgar has shown us that he is dangerous around this weight, despite fighting opponents who were closer to 155. He frequently gave up several pounds to his competitors, but still went 15-3-1.
Since Edgar made his UFC debut on Super Bowl weekend seven years ago, he has been a sturdy opponent, despite fighting bigger opponents. Now that he has found a way to become even more compact while lowering his weight, he is going to dominate the 145-pound class.
The 145-pound class is Edger’s natural weight class. He really should have been in the class since he started fighting in UFC bouts, but he was incredible when he fought up a class.
Now that he is finally where he belongs, Edgar can use his natural skills to fight much smaller opponents than he is used to.
Aldo has become accustomed to fighting 145-pound opponents and will expect nothing different when these two fight. However, that will be a huge mistake, as Edgar is used to 155-pound fighters and will be tougher than anyone else Aldo has faced.
I have supreme confidence in Edgar to make the adjustment without a hitch, and he should walk away from this fight with his head held high.
The real question is whether or not he will stay in the 145-pound class.
Edgar should remain at this weight. It is much closer to his natural weight, and he will be fighting against much lighter opponents than he is used to.
Edgar has the strength and speed to compete in the 155-pound class, but by staying in the 145-pound class, he will become one of the most dominant fighters in the world.
It all comes down to this first fight, but if Edgar fights like he is expected to and is more athletic like he says, there is no reason for him to go back to the 155-pound class.
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