Frankie Edgar has spent an entire career fighting, and beating, ‘the big dudes’ - and that isn’t going to change anytime soon.
The former lightweight titleholder was comically undersized during his reign as champion and eventually found a new home at featherweight, but ‘The Answer’ is still quite small for the division.
Despite repeated calls to drop down to 135-pounds, Edgar would prefer to stay put and challenge himself against the bigger opponents. The New-Jersey based fighter believes his reluctance to cut excessive amounts weight has only added more years to his fighting career. Edgar, who turned 37 last month, has been competing at an elite level for almost ten years.
“If you can make the weight and you can perform, all the power to you,” Edgar said in a recent interview with MMANYTT’s Damon Martin. “That’s how this sport is set up. I’m not knocking anybody for that but if I wanted to be the best dieter, I’d f–king be a jockey,” Edgar said with a laugh. “I’m a little dude and I’ve always been a little dude and I think I like being the little guy in there battling the big dudes.
“I like to show that hard work and technique can overcome anything.”
Edgar, who was forced to withdraw from his scheduled bout with ‘Korean Zombie’ at UFC Fight Night 139 due to injury, is the No. 3-ranked featherweight contender in the world and could find himself back in title contention very soon.
For that reason, amongst others, Edgar would prefer to stay put at 145-pounds.
“I just don’t feel I need to,” he said. “Could I? I probably could and maybe if an opportunity arose, maybe I would but I don’t feel the need for it.”