Frankie Edgar is a little fed up.
That’s not a new stance from the popular former UFC champion. But he’s not backing off it, either, and with his UFC contract set to expire, it could be causing Edgar’s eye to wander.
Edgar, who has only one fight left on that contract, said Monday on The MMA Hour broadcast with host Ariel Helwani that he would be selective about his next opponent. And it won’t come, as some have speculated it might, in the bantamweight division.
“If they offered me a title shot [at bantamweight], I wouldn’t be able to turn it down,” Edgar said. “But I’m not going down there to fight a contender fight and do that, not while I’m as close as I am at 145 [pounds]. Especially since we don’t know what’s gonna happen. I don’t want to leave yet and [stuff] gets figured out and I’m sitting here fighting in a 135-pound contender fight when I could have been fighting for a 145-pound title.”
The 35-year-old Edgar (21-5-1) has said before that a title shot was the only acceptable fight at bantamweight—or anywhere else.
Before a recent groin surgery, which he apparently got after contract renegotiations failed with the UFC, The Answer made serious hay at featherweight, going 3-1 over the past two years, stocking two Performance of the Night bonuses and losing only to Jose Aldo for the interim title.
Speaking of interim titles, that’s another issue that appears to be causing friction for Edgar.
“I just think they’re getting silly with these interim titles,” Edgar said. “It’s a little too much. They’re already taking Conor [McGregor]’s 155 one away. I just don’t get it.”
Edgar was referring to the UFC’s recent decision to match Khabib Nurmagomedov with Tony Ferguson for an interim lightweight title. McGregor will retain his lineal lightweight title while he takes an extended hiatus to start a family.
In the meantime, could another promotional home be beckoning for Edgar? Just last weekend, light heavyweight Ryan Bader became the latest big UFC name to migrate to Bellator MMA. He joins other stars like Benson Henderson, Rory MacDonald and Phil Davis who have made the same leap.
Although the UFC remains the promotional standard-bearer for the sport, Bellator appears to be making more competitive offers of late, if its increased ability to land top stars is any indication. Although Edgar has not stated any desire to leave the UFC, his ongoing dissatisfaction with the promotion’s treatment of him and others, combined with Bellator’s stronger negotiating position, may very well have raised questions in the ex-champ’s mind.
It will be interesting to see how the UFC handles Edgar once he returns from his surgery rehab this spring. It could tell a lot about The Answer’s future promotional home.
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