Former UFC Champ Frankie Edgar dropping to featherweight, wants to fight before the end of the year

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Frankie Edgar will finally make the move to the featherweight division, and it may come before the end of the year.

The impending move was first announced on the latest edition of "UFC Tonight" on Fuel TV on Tuesday, with Ariel Helwani reporting that Edgar hopes to take a fight in the division before 2012. Despite being the UFC's Lightweight Champion for nearly two years and what many felt was a winning performance against Ben Henderson at UFC 150, many have wanted to see Edgar at 145 lbs. for the last several years, and it's a move he's finally willing to make.

He's been reluctant in the past, not seeing the need to cut weight with the success he's had in the lightweight division, but a second loss to Henderson puts him in the back of the line in a deep division. He'll have a chance to start over, and he'll likely get the opportunity to fast track a title shot by facing a top five opponent.

Penick's Analysis: There are so many interesting possibilities for Frankie Edgar in the featherweight division I simply can't wait to see who he'll fight first. A bout between Edgar and Jose Aldo has been on the minds of everyone since Aldo and the 145 lb. division came into the UFC, and it's got a very real possibility of happening now. I'd imagine Edgar will only need one fight, maybe two at the most, before getting a title fight at 145 lbs., especially given the controversy surrounding his last loss to Henderson, and so it might make sense for him to fight in November, then face the winner of Aldo vs. Erik Koch next year.

[Frankie Edgar art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_14188.shtml

Forrest Griffin Tyson Griffin Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan Kendall Grove