The Notorious Gives His Reaction to Frankie Edgar’s First Ever KO Defeat…

Frankie Edgar is one of the most respected fighters in the UFC. Despite his stature more suited to bantamweight,  ‘The Answer’  is a former lightweight champion and a consistent top contender in the featherweight division. With his gritty striking and wrestling base, he’s long been a fan-favorite.

Edgar was due to face current lightweight champion Max Holloway at UFC 222 in Las Vegas last night. However, after the Hawaiian was forced to withdraw after suffering a leg injury. Rather than wait for Holloway to recover, Edgar decided to give his fans a fight and signed on to fight the dangerous rising star, Brian Ortega.

‘T-City’ inflicted a dramatic defeat on Edgar in dramatic style. The California native is not known for his striking but he landed a slick and devastating combo that took Edgar off his feet. It was the first time Edgar has ever suffered a KO and no defeat will hurt more. Many fighters have been paying their respects to him on Twitter, including Conor McGregor.

Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA TODAY Sports.

Respect and Rivalry

McGregor and Edgar have been in the news of late after the Irishman claimed he tried to sign a deal to replace the injured Holloway. Edgar’s coach and his manager did not take kindly to these claims, saying that McGregor will never show the same heart as ‘The Answer’.

The Irishman was linked to fights with Edgar a few times during his meteoric rise through the featherweight division. Ultimately their paths never crossed, although many believe that Edgar’s wrestling base would have provided a real stylistic challenge for McGregor. It’s never likely to happen now, but McGregor has made it clear that he has nothing but respect for Edgar.

Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA TODAY Sports.

Trash Talker

One thing Conor McGregor is well known for is his trash talk levels which arguably changed the way UFC fighters behave today. He’s vocally abusive towards his opponents, getting in their heads, often winning the psychological battle before even stepping into the octagon.

Not so towards Edgar. McGregor wrote a passionate message on Twitter showing his appreciation of Edgar’s legacy. He said:

“Frankie’s career deserved for that to be against me tonight. Respect Frankie. Love and respect always! A true fighters fighter.”

Legends

There’s little doubt that both McGregor and Edgar are future UFC Hall-of-Famers. The Irishman is the only fighter to hold two titles at the same time. He is highly likely to make his return to the UFC sometime this year. It’s likely to be the winner of Khabib Nurmagamedov vs Tony Ferguson, who are fighting for the official title in New York in April.

Edgar’s future is unclear. He’s a brilliant fighter with a fantastic history in the UFC, but there are going to be few opportunities for him now. Unless he decides to drop down a division and give bantamweight a shot, it’s unlikely we’ll get to see him in a title fight again. More likely he’ll be given gatekeeper status. He’ll still prove a stern test for the best.

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