Dana White: Edgar can have immediate title shot, but probably not against Henderson

Quote :

If the words of UFC president Dana White are any indication, it doesn’t appear that former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar is going to get an immediate rematch against new titleholder Benson Henderson.

He could, if he’s willing, however, get an immediate title shot.

“I have a lot of mixed feelings about a rematch. Frankie Edgar absolutely deserves one, seeing as how every fight this guy has fought, he’s given everybody else a rematch,” said White at the UFC on FX 2 pre-fight press conference.

“Yet, I don’t want him to fight at 155 pounds. I want him to go to 145 and fight for that title.”

As of Sunday, however, fresh off the loss of a fight that he felt he won, Edgar wasn’t anywhere near ready to consider a drop down to the featherweight division.

“Frankie deserves a rematch,” Edgar’s manager, Ali Abdel-Aziz, told MMAWeekly.com after talking with his client on Sunday. “We’re going to ask for a rematch.

“Frankie in the future will go down to 145, but he’s not going to go down now, he’s not. He’s not getting manhandled. He’s not getting destroyed. He won the fight.”

Though he’s not getting manhandled, White points to all the wars that Edgar has gone through recently at 155 pounds. It’s difficult for a fighter to have a prolonged career when he has the back-and-forth, physically taxing battles that Edgar has had at lightweight, according to the UFC president.

Edgar has a tremendous heart, however, and that tremendous heart is a big part of why he is reluctant to step down in weight.

“Frankie’s not the type of guy to lose and then just cower and move to 145,” commented Abdel-Aziz. “This kid has so much heart and determination.”

He may have to employ that heart and determination outside the Octagon if he wants to remain fighting at 155 pounds in the UFC. White is adamant about the move, and is more than willing to dangle the title shot. In fact, White sees it not just as dangling a title shot, but as the right thing to do by Edgar.

“If I’m gonna deny him the rematch for the 155-pound title,” he said. “I’m gonna make him move to 145 and say, ‘Yeah, you’re gonna have to fight a couple fights first to get the title.’ Does that sound right? No.”

http://www.mmaweekly.com/frankie-edgar-can-get-immediate-title-shot-but-not-likely-against-benson-henderson


This seems to me like a shitty thing to do to him. If he has earned the right to a rematch, then give it to him. Don't make him move down just because you want him to.

Yeah, shit... give him the rematch. If he loses, he can move down. If not then you got the chance for an epic title fight trilogy!

oh and I added a giant ass picture of Dana to the thread...

http://www.mmaweekly.com/frankie-edgar-doesnt-want-jose-aldo-he-still-wants-henderson-rematch

Here's a little more info. Not sure this justifies it's own thread, since it ties in to the topic here.

i dont see how anybody can think edgar won, not even himself......bendo looked as fresh at the end of the fight as he did when he stepped in.....edgar wasnt able to keep bendo on the mat for ant length of time and when henderson was on his back he nailed frankie with that devastating up kick.....how on earth can frankie think he won that fight??????????

I don't think he won the fight, but I think it was close enough that he should get another shot. And as mentioned before, he has been very cooperative about giving other fighters rematches for his belt, so I think it's only fair the favor be returned if that's what he wants.

I would probably think differently if he got completely dominated, but that's not the case.

^^^i agree 100%.....i was talking about him and his camp


“Frankie in the future will go down to 145, but he’s not going to go down now, he’s not. He’s not getting manhandled. He’s not getting destroyed. He won the fight.”

Meh I really dont wanna see Edgar Henderson again but he has been most accomodating for rematches. I really think they gotta stop this instand rematch thing. Go back down the ladder a few rungs and climb back up again.

Krieger wrote:

Meh I really dont wanna see Edgar Henderson again but he has been most accomodating for rematches. I really think they gotta stop this instand rematch thing. Go back down the ladder a few rungs and climb back up again.

Indeed. All I want is to see 1 frigging title get consistently defended against different competition. There's too much BS with the rematches, injury delays, TV shows, etc. Just frigging get in there and fight FFS...

100% agree. Even active UFC guys only fight about 3 times a year. It sucks will the other great matches out there that there has to be so many rematches.
We've seen Edgar/Henderson already.
Make him fight a couple other guys, and if Henderson is still the champ, then give him his rematch then.
Actually think Dana is being pretty generous offering him an immediate title at 145... which I don't really agree with either. I think he should get at least one warmup fight at a new weight class before throwing him to Aldo.

Meh... I'm sick of instant rematches. I know Frankie had back to back rematches as champ but it's not like they were not warranted. I thought BJclearly won their first fight and he tied with Maynard what else are going to do?

Grey just shows up once a month to say he is sick of instant rematches and thinks the scoring needs to be changed away from 10pt must haha.

Grey Suit wrote:

Meh... I'm sick of instant rematches. I know Frankie had back to back rematches as champ but it's not like they were not warranted. I thought BJclearly won their first fight and he tied with Maynard what else are going to do?

I agree with you premise about the amount of instant rematches, but I disagree that BJ clearly won the first fight.

Aside from the idea that you have to beat the champ to be the champ (we all know what that means), Edgar was at the very least a split-decision winner.

But whatever, I'm sick of the rematches as well. But if there ever is a reason for one more and only one more, this is it.

Fans want to see what they want to see, but Edgar absolutely desrves this one, if for no other reason than an IOU from Dana.

Rematches don't bug me as long as there warranted.