Frankie Edgar doesn’t usually let his emotions get the better of him, but he’s still not feeling totally stoked about the old bait-and-switch the UFC pulled on him regarding his title shot in mid-December.
And speaking of shots, he already knew that the man he is supposed to face next — Conor McGregor, who unified the featherweight title against Jose Aldo on Dec. 12 — was the one calling them.
Before it was announced that McGregor would be moving up to face Rafael dos Anjos for the lightweight belt at UFC 197, Edgar made one thing clear during an appearance on The MMA Hour: He believes the UFC is not only allowing McGregor to roam his hands over the control boards, but that they might be complicit in McGregor’s quest to avoid him.
"Yeah, from what I think, yeah, [McGregor]’s calling the shots," Edgar told Ariel Helwani. "I don’t think it matters with Dana [White] and Lorenzo [Fertitta]. Really, I don’t think I’m the best fight that they want…I don’t think they want it either. So I’ve got all three of them against me."
After knocking out Chad Mendes at the TUF 22 Finale on Dec. 11, Edgar was promised he was next to fight for the featherweight title. That was, until a night later when McGregor knocked out Aldo at UFC 194 and personally changed the narrative by flirting with a move to lightweight.
Now that McGregor has made the move, Edgar is left as the odd man out, forced to either wait for McGregor's return to (at UFC 200, most likely), or keep busy as a No. 1 contender. The UFC is ultimately allowing McGregor to retain his featherweight title as he looks to add to his collection, but in Edgar’s eyes the Irishman has one piece of unfinished business at 145 pounds. That is, to fight him.
And he senses there's a double-standard in play.
"I remember when [the UFC] were trying to get me to go down to 145 when I was the 155-pound champion," Edgar said. "They said I have to let go of the belt to do that."
In contemplating the scenario that ended up playing out as as reality, Edgar said on Monday that he wasn't sure he'd wait around until July to fight again if he was asked to.
"Some people are telling me to wait, but I’m going to wait so they can take it away from me again? I don’t think I can do that," he said. "Like you said, I’ve got a family to feed. This window’s closing. We all know this isn’t a long career. I’m 34. I feel great, I feel young. I feel like I’m getting better, but time wins over everybody eventually, so I feel like I’m just missing out on opportunities left and right."
One thing that Edgar has been vocal about is that he has the blueprint to defeat McGregor. He has gone on record saying he’s the worst possible match-up for the Irishman.
"Yeah, I do [think I have the blueprint]," he said. "I think you seen shades of it with Chad, and I’m definitely a different fighter than Chad, I can do some of the things he can’t. And, it’s not going to be an easy fight. I mean, all fights are hard. But, yeah, I think I’m the worst match-up for McGregor. I think he knows it, I think you know it, I think the UFC knows it. I just need that chance to get my hands on him.
"That’s what I want," Edgar added. "Am I going to get it? I f*cking doubt it."
Once again Edgar will have to make a decision on whether to fight or wait. It's been a tough ride since being promised a title shot until losing it this week. Given the roller-coaster of emotions he went through in Las Vegas — going from title shot to limbo in 24 hours — Edgar said it was a rough flight back to New Jersey.
"I was deflated man," he said. "I was sky high one day, and the next day it was literally like someone rained on my parade. It was eating at me. I just fought one of the best fights of my life [and I’m thinking] I shouldn’t be feeling like this. I should be going home riding high right now, and I just wasn’t. And that’s unfortunate. You only have so many of those moments in this career for it to kind of get taking away from you the next day and stuff."