UFC Lightweight Champ Frankie Edgar Gets Hometown Hero's Welcome
by Nate Wilcox on Apr 13, 2010 9:37 AM EDT
in MMA News
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Regardless of what you may think of the judging in the fight, this is one well-earned hero's welcome for Frankie Edgar in Toms River, New Jersey, via the Asbury Park Press:
TOMS RIVER - The township's emergency vehicles escorted Ultimate Fighting champion Frankie Edgar back home Sunday night, police said.
Police Chief Michael G. Mastronardy said police cars, fire trucks and ambulances met Edgar's vehicle near Parkway Exit 82 about 8 p.m., and escorted him home with sirens blaring. They stopped first at the Toms River Shopping Center, where
roughly 150 people waited to greet him. Edgar was expected to return here about two hours earlier but got delayed at customs, the chief said.
As Jim Genia said:
This is pure awesomeness on so many levels, especially since you don't get more homegrown than Edgar. He literally worked his way up from the UCL to Sportfighting, Reality Fighting and Ring of Combat to the UFC, and though everyone who ever sat ringside for one of his local bouts knew he was a stud, the idea that he'd be able to dethrone the legendary BJ Penn seemed like a longshot at best. Bravo, Frankie. Bravo.
Couldn't agree more. While I scored the fight for B.J., I'm not that upset about the bad scoring because Frankie was clearly the better man by the end of the fight. While I'm somewhat acclimated to our modern MMA scoring, I still oppose the 10 point must system and prefer that fights be judged in their totality. Clearly Edgar was the better man on Saturday.
If you had told me on Saturday morning that Edgar would keep the fight close enough that it would go to decision, I would've laughed in your face. But Frankie fought the perfect fight and threw B.J. Penn off his game. Congratulations Frankie, enjoy your moment in the sun, but don't let it go to your head, the UFC lightweight division is a shark tank and they smell blood in the water.
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congradz frankie but if shogun got a rematch why can't Baby Jay get one
Fighting Solves Everything! - Mikeybear
Shogun was clearly robbed. BJ just got beat.
by HappyLittleTreez on Apr 13, 2010 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Yes, yes.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Apr 13, 2010 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions
That kid did put it together,
He definitely, out worked BJ. I didn’t think he won. Mikey, you are correct.
by doonerthesooner on Apr 13, 2010 9:23 AM EDT reply actions
Not Frankie's Fault let the man Shine!
The kid did great, there have been other far more egregious robberies in MMA leave Frankie alone until his next fight is booked then break it all down.
I feel he won, I mean maybe not total strikes in every round like everyone seems to be getting wrapped up in but if the striking is close (every round was close in strikes) you lean on other criteria:
Aggression – Frankie
Control – Frankie set the pace and placement of every encounter
Effective strikes – PUSH
It’s all subjective (my opinions) but the guy didn’t fold like others and showed up to fight. Bravo!
Roman from South Jersey, here for two things chewing bubble gum and kicking ass and I'm all out of bubble gum!
I like how the photo captions
in the Asbury Park Press story keep referring to “Frankie Edgar, of USA” and “BJ Penn, of Hawaii”.
I'll ask my buddy about that...he's the web editor.
twitter.com/thisredengine
by Matthew Roth on Apr 13, 2010 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Just did...should be fixed soon.
twitter.com/thisredengine
by Matthew Roth on Apr 13, 2010 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
Fixed
twitter.com/thisredengine
by Matthew Roth on Apr 13, 2010 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Not aimed specifically at Kid Nate, however...
can we get to a point in stories like this were parts like this get left out?
“Couldn’t agree more. While I scored the fight for B.J., I’m not that upset about the bad scoring because Frankie was clearly the better man by the end of the fight. While I’m somewhat acclimated to our modern MMA scoring, I still oppose the 10 point must system and prefer that fights be judged in their totality.”
We get it, people have opinions about the decision and there are long term issues with the scoring system…but did it really need to be included in a story about a good guy like Frankie?
To me, the real story here is how serious this town in NJ is taking the victory of a fighter in an MMA championship bout. Stories and situations like this really show how far the sport of MMA has come.
hey
without me there wouldn’t be a story about Frankie Edgar’s homecoming. I’m celebrating the guy just by doing the post. I’m not going to retire my critical thinking skills no matter how nice a kid he is.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Nate Wilcox on Apr 13, 2010 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions
That's fine, keep your critical thinking in effect.
Just try splitting into two articles.
Hell, there are more than enough articles and comments on BE prior to this article about who though what about the decision…however, just one about this wonderful homecoming the underdog got…did it really need another dose of “while I didn’t think he really won…”?
Congrats to little Frankie Edgar
Hopefully we’ll all be able to look back on this and think “Remember when Edgar won the title? Man, that was crazy?! How long has BJ been the champion now?”
Something tells me this is gonna make Edgar an even better more confident fighter next time they fight and hes gonna beat BJ again.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Apr 13, 2010 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm not sure what to think about a rematch...
however, historically, in MMA ex-champs don’t often win rematches.
Still, beating BJ twice seems like a hard, hard bargin for anyone not named GSP.
I look forward
to the discussion of what strategy BJ can employ to win a rematch. If BJ can’t walk him down (as evident in their first match) can he outwrestle him for a takedown? Or somehow catch the little waterbug in a clinch? I guess that will all be left for a future post.
I live right outside of TR but am away right now. To bad though that would have been quite a sight.
TR has a sign in it that says Home of the Little League World Champions with the year they won on it. I wonder if they’ll put home of the UFC Lightweight Champion
They will
Toms River is so proud of that Little League World Champions sign. Adding “Home of UFC LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION FRANKIE EDGAR” is something that will happen.
twitter.com/thisredengine
by Matthew Roth on Apr 13, 2010 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions
"Edgar was expected to return here about two hours earlier but got delayed at customs, the chief said."
how badass would it be to come through custom, and when they ask if you have anything to declare, you say…. “ooohhhh, just THIS”, and slap down the ufc belt?
frankie must be riding high right now.
I’d really like to see a rubber match with BJ.
BJ looked off his game and it looked like more than being off because of Edgar finding a way to throw him off. He just seemed out of it from the beginning.
I could be wrong; but a rubber match would tell us that and should be done anytime a match is this close for a championship fight.
"A champion is someone who gets up when he can't." - Jack Dempsey
A 2nd fight is not a rubber match
by Hardcharger on Apr 13, 2010 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Cage Potato interviewed Rudy Valentino, he said BJ was suffering from a sinus infection which is why he was gassed out after the 3rd. He didn’t give it as an excuse, more a reason. The pace Frankie set didn’t help things though.
twitter.com/thisredengine
by Matthew Roth on Apr 13, 2010 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions
Edgar is a great fighter and a great representative of the sport.
I am all for letting him shine. Who cares about the judging, bad judging happens and it can’t always cause a rematch. An automatic rematch isn’t the most exciting option anyways. I want to see BJ crush a fighter or two along the way. He should come out with all guns blazing in persuit of his title.
Build to a rematch with the winner of Edgar vs Florian and put Penn in there with Maynard. Both those fights would be very exciting.
Nice Article
I don’t know how I feel about the purposed rematch that seems to be in the works.
by Myke25 on Apr 13, 2010 10:12 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Regardless of what anyone thought of the decision
Frankie put on a great fight, and fought his perfect fight. Congrats to Frankie.
I don't want to lick any butt. - GSP
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