Frankie Edgar: Failing To Make TUF 5 Was A Blessing

Frankie Edgar joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour to discuss his hopes for another crack at Jose Aldo’s title, how failing to make TUF 5 was a blessing, and his upcoming match with B.J. Penn on July 6th.

“It’s been a year, that’s enough to get the juices flowing. I don’t want to lose the third time out. The first two times, I wasn’t supposed to win. Now, I’m supposed to win.”

“I think he knows this is his last chance and he’s preparing the best he can,” said Edgar. “It’s good to have some concern. He’s still B.J. Penn.”

The topic then shifted to The Ultimate Fighter, which Edgar tried out for many years ago.

I was heartbroken,” Edgar said about the experience. “I made the first two cuts. I went with Kevin Roddy. I thought I’m getting a call. I stayed positive. I think positive. Before we had landed (from the tryouts), he got a call for a physical. I was waiting, but I didn’t get that call. I was pretty torn up.”

Edgar is no stranger to overcoming obstacles in training camps, leading up to his fight with BJ Penn next month his wife gave birth to their first daughter.

“My wife’s a trooper,” he noted. “I told her, July 7th, I’m your guy. Until then, you’re kind of on your own. I’ll get the paybacks after the fight for sure.”

A veteran of the sport, The Answer came up in a sport that was still struggling to gain a foothold in the world of professional sports, and as a result Frankie’s first fight was an illegal one.

“It was an illegal show,” Edgar said. “There was no ambulance, no weigh-ins, no rounds, we did one 15 minute round.

“There were 50 people there, no weigh-ins and no rules. I head-butted him in the fight. I knew it was legal. The gloves I wore were the same gloves I was wearing for three weeks. I didn’t wrap my hands.”

“If I sold no tickets, I’d have made no money.”

Edgar went on to explain he was paid $160 for the fight because he sold 16 tickets and received $10 of each ticket sold.