Former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar is still focusing on making another title run ahead of his bout with fellow bantamweight contender Marlon Vera at UFC 268 this Saturday night.
Edgar spoke with BJPenn.com's Cole Shelton about the matchup with Vera and why he jumped at the chance to fight on the promotion's latest event in New York City. The 40-year old MMA legend doesn't know what the future holds for his fighting career, but does know a win over an opponent like Vera would help him move up the rankings in the ever-crowded UFC bantamweight division.
“As soon as I heard we were going to be here before the holidays, I knew I wanted to be on the card,” Edgar said. “The UFC thought the same so I told them whoever they can get I will fight. They offered me Marlon Vera, which is fine by me as there is no opponent I have my eye on as the only thing I have my eye on is the belt. He’s a dangerous guy and it’s a fight that makes sense. This fight could go anywhere. Marlon is a wild card as he is dangerous. But, I just have to be a technical fighter. I’m always ready to go as long as we need it, I have a motor and the cardio to go 15 hard minutes. I’m ready to push the pace and do whatever it takes to win. I don’t really know where it puts me. I just know winning fixes everything and puts you moving up the rankings. I’m just going to reassess where we are at and figure out our next move after the holidays. It’s really about whoever the UFC offers as long as I keep moving forward.”
Edgar will look to bounce back from a 28-second knockout loss to Cory Sandhagen back at UFC Vegas 18 in February, whereas Vera is 7-2 in his last nine Octagon appearances and will try to build off of a unanimous decision victory over Davey Grant in their rematch at UFC Vegas 29 in June.
Vera pouring it on!! --#UFCVegas29 pic.twitter.com/0ErSbg3DEu
— UFC (@ufc) June 20, 2021
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