After being announced as Max Holloway’s challenger at UFC 240, Frankie Edgar understands that not everyone is likely to be delighted by the news.
Most namely Alexander Volkanovski, who defeated Jose Aldo this past weekend at UFC 237. ‘The Great’ felt that his victory was enough to secure a title shot but as has since become clear, he’ll have to wait for Edgar first. The former UFC Lightweight Champion was last booked to fight Holloway in March 2018, eventually taking on Brian Ortega after Holloway pulled out with an injury. The short notice fight proved costly for ‘The Answer,’ losing via first-round knockout in the first stoppage defeat of his career.
Nonetheless, Edgar returned quickly, defeating Cub Swanson and now over a year later, he’ll get his shot after all. Left “giddy” by the news, Edgar is excited by the challenge. “He’s considered the best featherweight of all time, so these are the positions I want to keep putting myself in. I want to keep challenging myself,” Edgar told MMAFighting.
Edgar recently recovered from a torn bicep, an injury that forced him out of a headline bout opposite Chan Sung Jung. He now describes the injury as “100 percent” though and sympathizes with Volkanovski’s position. “I don’t want to take anything away from Alex, he’s a stud fighter. He’s won a bunch of fights in a row. He’s going to get his time. I was him not too long ago, and he’s going to get his time. I know he’s probably a little upset, because I’ve been there before. But his time will come.”
After his career-best win this past Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Volkanovski was hospitalized with a blood infection on Sunday. However, his health is seemingly improving as was first reported by Petesy Carroll of MMA Fighting.
As for Edgar, he’ll be hoping that at UFC 240, its third time’s a charm in more ways than one. This will be the third time he’s entered camp for a fight with Holloway and also the third time that he’s challenged for the Featherweight crown too. Whether he can finally become a two-weight champion remains to be seen.
