Tag: Olympic wrestling

Interview: Frankie Edgar Awaits His Next Opportunity, Discusses Olympic Wrestling Controversy


(Photo via Esther Lin/MMAFighting.com)

CagePotato contributor Oliver Chan was on hand at this weekend’s MMA World Expo in New York City, where he got his microphone in front of a wide-range of MMA stars and personalities. We’ll be running highlights from his interviews all week. First up: A brief chat with former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, who is enjoying a rare moment of peace between his last epic battle and whatever comes next…

CAGEPOTATO: You just came off a tough fight against Jose Aldo, and everybody wants to know: What’s next on the agenda for you?

FRANKIE EDGAR: Yeah, it’s two weeks out and I really haven’t made any decision on what I’m gonna do. You know, I’m gonna get back in there, but I don’t know when — not too long, I don’t like taking too long of a break. I’m already training, so we’ll just see how it goes.

Do you think you’ll jump back up to lightweight?

I think I’ll stay at ’45 for now. We’ll see what happens in the future, though.

Is there any opponent in particular you’ll be gunning for?

Nah, I don’t pick people’s names out, really. We’ll talk to Dana [White] and Lorenzo [Fertitta], Joe Silva and these guys, and my team, and we’ll figure out something out, I’m sure.

Switching gears, here, the big news from the Olympic Committee is that wrestling is possibly on the chopping block for the 2020 Games. What are your thoughts on that?


(Photo via Esther Lin/MMAFighting.com)

CagePotato contributor Oliver Chan was on hand at this weekend’s MMA World Expo in New York City, where he got his microphone in front of a wide-range of MMA stars and personalities. We’ll be running highlights from his interviews all week. First up: A brief chat with former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, who is enjoying a rare moment of peace between his last epic battle and whatever comes next…

CAGEPOTATO: You just came off a tough fight against Jose Aldo, and everybody wants to know: What’s next on the agenda for you?

FRANKIE EDGAR: Yeah, it’s two weeks out and I really haven’t made any decision on what I’m gonna do. You know, I’m gonna get back in there, but I don’t know when — not too long, I don’t like taking too long of a break. I’m already training, so we’ll just see how it goes.

Do you think you’ll jump back up to lightweight?

I think I’ll stay at ’45 for now. We’ll see what happens in the future, though.

Is there any opponent in particular you’ll be gunning for?

Nah, I don’t pick people’s names out, really. We’ll talk to Dana [White] and Lorenzo [Fertitta], Joe Silva and these guys, and my team, and we’ll figure out something out, I’m sure.

Switching gears, here, the big news from the Olympic Committee is that wrestling is possibly on the chopping block for the 2020 Games. What are your thoughts on that?

Yeah, I think the whole wrestling community worldwide is hoping to stand up and make sure that doesn’t happen. I was a wrestler myself, and wrestling is such a big part of MMA — it would be a shame to see it not as an Olympic sport. It baffles me, really, that we’re even talking about this. I’m hoping something gets done and it doesn’t happen.

I agree, it’s one of the oldest sports in the Olympics. Do you have any speculation as to why it got cut?
I don’t know. I couldn’t even tell you. I mean, they say [wrestling is] tough to understand, and this and that, but you see some of the other sports that are out there in the Olympics now, and I don’t know. Wrestling is a combat sport, and everybody gets [combat], the whole world gets it. It’s not a one-nation thing. So I really have no idea why they would boot it out.

You see Jordan Burroughs just killing it and it’s a shame — from what I hear, he wants to go set some records, win three Olympic titles, and he can only win one more in 2016. If it ends for him, it’s gonna be devastating. If he does well in 2016, I’m sure he’d want to come in 2020 and break some records, and if he doesn’t have that opportunity, that’s not fair.

If MMA wasn’t as big as it was, do you think you would have tried to make the Olympic team?
I don’t know, I mean I was a successful wrestler, but it’s a different animal trying to make the Olympics. You gotta be that #1 guy. You can’t even be the third- or fourth-best, you have to be the best, and at the right time. So when I was done with wrestling, I was happy to move onto MMA.

Now that you’re taking some time off until your next fight, are there any side projects you’re working on?

I’m still pushing the Restore the Shore thing. Obviously, being from the Shore, I’m trying to help out with the recovery from [Hurricane] Sandy. But other than that I’m just hanging out with my family and getting back into training.

Well Frank, best of luck and thank you very much for taking the time. Any final words you want to say to your fans and the CagePotato readers?

Thanks for having me, and just keep following The Kid — the story’s not over yet!

Video: 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo Returns to Competition in New York City

At 21 years old, Henry Cejudo became the youngest American to win a gold medal in Olympic wrestling, when he swept through the 55kg freestyle field at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. When he returned home, Cejudo began to immerse himself in boxing training, winning tournaments in Arizona and training with Freddie Roach. Before long, Bellator approached him with an offer to join their Season Three bantamweight tournament. “I was close enough to signing with Bellator that they faxed the papers over and I was ready to sign them,” Cejudo said. “I thought about it for a day and during that time I got a call from USA wrestling about me coming back. I had a decision to make, and I think I just see myself with another gold medal and maybe doing MMA afterward.”

Cejudo now plans to compete at the 2012 Games in London. His comeback began yesterday evening at the “USA vs. Russia”-themed Beat the Streets 2011 Gala in New York City’s Times Square, where he competed in wrestling for the first time since Beijing. Cejudo faced Junior World bronze medalist Rasul Mashezov and won 2-0, 4-3. The American team beat the Russians 5-2 overall, aided by wins from 2010 U.S. Open champion Jordan Burroughs and 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev.

At 21 years old, Henry Cejudo became the youngest American to win a gold medal in Olympic wrestling, when he swept through the 55kg freestyle field at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. When he returned home, Cejudo began to immerse himself in boxing training, winning tournaments in Arizona and training with Freddie Roach. Before long, Bellator approached him with an offer to join their Season Three bantamweight tournament. “I was close enough to signing with Bellator that they faxed the papers over and I was ready to sign them,” Cejudo said. “I thought about it for a day and during that time I got a call from USA wrestling about me coming back. I had a decision to make, and I think I just see myself with another gold medal and maybe doing MMA afterward.”

Cejudo now plans to compete at the 2012 Games in London. His comeback began yesterday evening at the “USA vs. Russia”-themed Beat the Streets 2011 Gala in New York City’s Times Square, where he competed in wrestling for the first time since Beijing. Cejudo faced Junior World bronze medalist Rasul Mashezov and won 2-0, 4-3. The American team beat the Russians 5-2 overall, aided by wins from 2010 U.S. Open champion Jordan Burroughs and 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev.