Last month, Conor McGregor sat down for an interview where he apologized for his actions this summer and promised to get back to the business of fighting. He then went on to name a few possible opponents for his return to the cage, and one that stood out more than others was Frankie Edgar. Edgar, of course, is coming off a loss to Max Holloway for the featherweight title but McGregor said that did not concern him because of the history and respect between the two of them.
McGregor and Edgar were tentatively supposed to fight once before, after McGregor won the featherweight title. But instead, McGregor moved up to lightweight to chase a second title and was then side-tracked by his sudden rivalry with Nate Diaz. In all the hubbub that ensued, Edgar fell by the wayside but now that McGregor has called him out by name, Edgar is once again hopeful that now may be the time for them to finally fight.
“It gave me hope that maybe I can get a fight with him,” Edgar told TMZ Sports recently. “I’ve been trying to fight this guy for a really long time. I know he’s mentioned my name before so who knows if it’s just him throwing a lot of sh* t at the wall and seeing if something sticks but I’m game, he knows I’m game, and I know I’m supposed to go down to bantamweight but I would obviously delay that for the McGregor fight.”
Edgar is currently planning a drop to bantamweight to make one final title run there where big fights with Dominick Cruz and Henry Cejudo await him. However, there are obviously some major incentives for Edgar to put off that move, namely financial but also, Edgar says, for his legacy. The former lightweight champion says that McGregor is a historic fighter and that having fought him is something he wants to look back on and say he did. He even says he’s willing to fight at welterweight if that’s what McGregor wants.
“It’s no secret Conor’s the biggest star in the sport, or at least one of them,” Edgar said. “With that comes a lot of attention. He’s gonna be remembered, for sure, twenty years from now and I want to have that guy on my record.
“I’ll fight wherever he wants to fight. We can do it at welterweight if he feels. He’s gonna be bigger than me no matter where we fight at so, I’m game. I’ve been trying to watch my weight a little bit knowing that bantamweight is coming but I wouldn’t mind pouring some pounds on now.”
McGregor has also mentioned that he is looking to get back in the cage this year, and that lines up perfectly for Edgar. Frankie says he is also trying to fight once more before the year is out, whether that’s against McGregor or at bantamweight, and he’s ready to go whenever. He even says he’d fight McGregor tomorrow if that’s what he wanted to do.
“[I’d fight him] tomorrow,” Edgar said. “I’m game. I want to fight before this year is out as well, whether it’s at bantamweight or McGregor, but yeah if he wants to get down this year, I’m 100 percent in.”
Of course, as Edgar said, Conor throwing his name out in an interview is far from a genuine fight offer. McGregor has been linked to many opponents in the past without having the fights come to be. This summer alone McGregor was rumored to be in negotiations to fight Donald Cerrone and Justin Gaethje and Frankie doesn’t want to be another name on that list of “could’ve beens”. Speaking to McGregor directly, Edgar told the former champ-champ to stop talking about it and start being about it.
“Hey let’s stop faking the funk,” Edgar said. “Don’t just say it, let’s follow through on it and get it done. I’m game any weight, any time, we could do it really anywhere. That’s a fight that you get remembered for.”
MUST-READ STORIES
Results. Weili Zhang knocks out Jessica Andrade in 42 seconds to win strawweight title at UFC Shenzhen.
Next. Khabib Nurmagomedov declares Tony Ferguson is next, doesn’t care about Conor McGregor.
Trilogy. Khabib Nurmagomedov hopes Daniel Cormier returns for one more fight.
GOAT. Dustin Poirier: ‘If I go out there and stop Khabib, I’m the best lightweight fighter’ in history.
Chaos. Colby Covington on Kamaru Usman: ‘I’m seriously going to leave that dude f**king crippled’.
VIDEO STEW
UFC 242 Timeline.
UFC 242 Countdown.
Top finishes Khabib.
Top finishes Poirier.
Khabib’s digs in Abu Dhabi are real nice.
Also, Javier Mendez and Abdulmanap’s relationship is very interesting.
Jimi Manuwa telling DC to come back.
LFA 74 highlights.
LISTEN UP
6th Round. Immediate post-fight reaction to UFC Shenzhen.
Severe MMA. Discussing UFC 242, Cage Warriors, B.J. Penn, and Weili Zhang.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Man. The major stars in the world really know how to court that China market.
Props
Statement from Andrade. Get out the Google translate.
Damn.
The first early impact of Zhang Weili’s UFC title win: Top search on Baidu, the Google of China; Top trending topic on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. There were 300 million hashtags about her and the fight and 40 million video views! Also made CCTV news, first time for UFC
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) September 1, 2019
Respect.
Martial Arts is a lifestyle! #hespect ✊ pic.twitter.com/PZUTxH6dzl
— Kai Kara France (@kaikarafrance) September 2, 2019
So it continues.
They don’t even make those outdated belts anymore! You’ll bend the knee soon. #stuckinthe90s #dominickwho https://t.co/w3jOs41fQ6
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) August 31, 2019
Oh so you’re a comedian now too, Weili? Well just let me know when you are ready for some real competition and you too can bend the knee to Triple C! #intergenderchamp https://t.co/1ckqw54Yug
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) August 31, 2019
Staying humble.
We aren’t kidding. We even make him wear the belt when he cleans the toilets after a win ♂️ pic.twitter.com/c7XOGL2Px6
— Mekalek in CLE (@mekalek) August 30, 2019
Also Stipe living the high Cleveland lifestyle.
ClevelandVsTheWorld pic.twitter.com/SnTGohlQi5
— Jurassic Myles (@MylesLGarrett) September 1, 2019
Bisping still repping JJ and that’s fair.
@joannamma beats them all. https://t.co/ePjmqeiyTH
— michael (@bisping) September 1, 2019
REAL RECOGNIZE REAL! #UFCLEAGUE Thanks Champ! ❤️ https://t.co/ehdtZYS49r
— Joanna Jedrzejczyk (@joannamma) September 1, 2019
Calling out everyone.
Best tennis player in the @ufc who wants it pic.twitter.com/xBw4HPbLsi
— Brian Kelleher (@brianboom135) September 1, 2019
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Marcin Wrzosek (14-5) vs. Norman Parke 27-6-1); KSW 50, Sep. 14.
Court McGee (19-8) vs. Sean Brady (10-0); UFC on ESPN 6, Oct. 18.
Francisco Trinaldo (23-7) vs. Bobby Green (24-9-1); UFC Sao Paulo, Nov. 16.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Happy Labor Day, all.
Thanks for reading and see y’all tomorrow.
EXIT POLL
Poll
You interested in a Conor-Frankie fight?
This poll is closed
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13%
Absolutely.
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34%
Sure, why not?
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52%
Not really.
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