Frankie Edgar explains why he hesitated on moving down to bantamweight

Frankie Edgar is making the move to 135 pounds, but it took quite a bit of time.

Edgar has always been known as the underdog who proved his doubters wrong. Despite his size, “The Answer” captured the UFC lightweight title and was one of the elite title contenders with his featherweight move. While Edgar enjoyed great success at 145 pounds, he never could capture the gold in that weight class.

ESPN’s Brett Okamoto caught up with Frankie Edgar, who dished out on why the bantamweight move took a while.

“I always wanted it to be about fighting,” Edgar said. “I didn’t want it to be about cutting weight. The sport was originated to see who’s the best fighter. Not who’s the best weight cutter. Who’s the best athlete? Who’s the best fighter? Which skill is the best? I used my skills to beat bigger guys. That was my story and I kinda liked it. I liked being the little guy battling the big guys.”

Edgar began to see that the UFC’s 145-pounders simply got better at using size to their advantage, so he felt it was finally time to make the jump.

“These guys are getting better,” Frankie Edgar continued. “They’re getting more athletic, they’re getting better at cutting weight. These guys are getting bigger and better and younger. So, gotta do something.”

Edgar was last seen in action back in July. He fell short in his bid to capture the UFC featherweight title from Max Holloway. While he failed to find gold at featherweight, perhaps Edgar’s new journey at 135 pounds will lead him to the mother lode.

Do you think Frankie Edgar made the right decision to move down to bantamweight? Sound off in the comments section PENN Nation!

August 29, 2019