Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Frankie Edgar is changing weight classes again.
Which weight class will Frankie Edgar compete in next? “The Answer” is bantamweight… get it? GET IT?! Because that’s his nickname. I spent a lot of time coming up with that humdinger of a line.
Anyway, Edgar’s immediate future will see the former UFC lightweight king and multi-time featherweight title challenger compete at 135 lbs for the first time in his career.
Here’s what his coach Mark Henry had to say to ESPN, who first broke the story.
“It feels like a new beginning for us,” Henry said. “I love the kid, and I feel it will be safer for him at 135. He always does better when he fights guys his own size. When he’s fighting guys with similar height and range — sometimes they still weigh more than him, but I feel like it’s an even playing field.
”He was barely cutting any weight at featherweight. I think during this last camp, he was 152 pounds a few weeks before the fight. And he hadn’t started cutting yet.”
Edgar has since released his own brief statement on Instagram.
“The cat’s out of the bag!” Edgar said. “I’ve been reluctant to cut down my whole career but I feel like now is the time. Excited for a new beginning!”
Edgar (23-7-1) is coming off a unanimous decision loss to reigning champion Max Holloway at UFC 240. He’s lost two of his last three, with the other defeat coming by KO to Brian Ortega at UFC 222. The 37-year-old has long been viewed as undersized at both lightweight and featherweight, but has nevertheless managed to win and defend UFC gold at 155 lbs, while remain a top-level contender at 145 lbs for six years.
According to his manager Ali Abdelaziz, the targeted date for Edgar’s bantamweight debut is UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden on November 2nd. He also didn’t rule out Edgar eventually returning to 145.