Edgar has finally decided to drop down to 145. Who should be his first fight? I personally think he should (and will) fight a warm up bout before stepping in with the top contenders. This way Korean Zombie gets his shot and Mendes can get in another win before stepping in w/ Edgar for a #1 contender bout (assuming Edgar wins his debut).
Poor Edgar. The Korean Zombie is a nice matchup. As Frankie is not just another fighter, I'd match him against at least the top 10 of the division and after a few fights (given that he wins all of them), Aldo can smash him back to reality.
With The Korean Zombie being the #1 contender he is out of the picture as his next fight will be for the title. A #1 contender fight between Edgar and Mendez makes the most sense as they can set it up for late fall, with the Zombie's title shot coming by the end of the year and then the following title fight to occur around March/April.
Korean Zombie's win over Porier and Edgar's drop have all of a sudden made it pretty competitive. This division was so weak that they gave Erik Koch a title shot...
This. Mendes vs. Edgar should be a really good fight and it makes the most sense. Another fight that makes a lot of sense is Hioki vs. Edgar. Hioki is also a top competitor. Winner gets Aldo or KZ. I always felt that Frankie was fighting out of his division as a lightweight and he had a damn good run there. He was beating guys that were bigger and stronger than him on a regular basis now Frankie is going to be fighting guys his own size.
Why would anyone want to give Edgar a title shot. When is the last time someone got a title shot after 2 straight losses? Sure they were controversial decisions, but a loss is a loss. I say make him get 2 wins before a shot.
For those who voted for a title shot with Aldo, you're damn right : Edgar to replace Koch for UFC 153 title fight vs. Aldo By John Morgan USA TODAY Despite a pair of disappointing losses to current UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson, former titleholder Frankie Edgar (14-3-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) will now get his shot at history. USA TODAY Sports has learned that an undisclosed injury has forced Erik Koch (13-1, 2-0) to withdraw from a planned UFC 153 title fight with current featherweight champion Jose Aldo (21-1, 3-0), and Edgar has agreed to step into the evening's main event. Edgar now looks to join UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and Hawaiian superstar B.J. Penn as the only men to hold UFC championships in two different weight classes. Now dubbed UFC 153: Aldo vs. Edgar, the event takes place Oct. 13 at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The evening's five-fight main card airs on pay-per-view. On the heels of this weekend's canceled UFC 151 event, UFC President Dana White admitted he was disappointed to learn of Koch's injury. However, one call to Edgar quickly resulted in a turn for the better. "Obviously, we've had a rough couple of weeks here at the UFC, and then sure enough, I walk in to work today, and Erik Koch is hurt," White told USA TODAY Sports. "But Frankie Edgar, being the stud and the warrior that he is, steps up and accepts this fight." The 5-6 Edgar has long been questioned about a potential move to 145 pounds, but with a pair of wins over Penn and two now-legendary bouts with massive lightweight Gray Maynard, "The Answer" ruled the promotion's lightweight division for nearly two years. However, after Edgar's pair of razor-thin losses to Henderson, White urged the New Jersey native to consider a move to the featherweight division. Now that Edgar is making the move, White said he can't wait to see this new championship matchup. "I'm pumped," White said. "I think that people are going to be very excited for this fight. "Frankie has had a tough go the last couple of times with the judges, but a lot of people think he belongs at 145 pounds. Well, here we go – Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar. People have been wanting to see this fight for a long time." Meanwhile, Aldo enters UFC 153 with a 14-fight win streak. Since ruling World Extreme Cagefighting's 145-pound division and moving over to the fellow Zuffa-owned UFC as the promotion's first featherweight champion, the Brazilian phenom has scored successful title defenses over Chad Mendes, Kenny Florian and Mark Hominick. Overall, Aldo is a remarkable 11-0 under the Zuffa banner. A timetable for Koch's return wasn't immediately established. But really, after the Jones issue, this is too fishy to be true. We will stay tuned :grin:.
Frankie Edgar has been in a lot of title fights for a guy who has rarely won a big fight convincingly. I like Edger I really do, but I can't believe he's getting a title fight at FW instantly. 2 fight losing streak, new to the division, challenge for the belt.
Sounds like you're complaining (at least a little bit). This is excellent news. This is much better than freaking Koch fighting for the title. Also, I'm a huge KZ fan but I want him to have at least one more win before a title shot. Or if he fights the winner between Aldo and Edgar would be cool too. Edgar makes the most sense and the fight should be a great one. It's not like he lost his 2 fights with Bendo in dominant fashion. Sure, he's new to the division but FW is the division he's belonged at and he held the LW belt for nearly 2 years so I don't see why he should have to work his way up for another title fight. Furthemore, Edgar has been in a lot of title fights because when you're the champ you usually have to defend the belt. He tooled BJ Penn in their second fight and he finished Maynard convincingly in their 3rd fight. Edgar vs Aldo WILL be a huge draw and that 153 card is going to be great overall barring no injuries.
I completely agree, but there was no one else to fight. Zombie is out recovering from shoulder surgery. Hioki, once considered a contender, recently lost. Mendes is the last guy Aldo fought. Koch never should have had a shot. Hopefully Zombie gets winner of Aldo-Edgar.
