Issue 143

As Frankie Edgar prepared for his UFC 150 Championship rematch with Benson Henderson, he reflected on his career to date and the desire driving him to try and prove the doubters wrong.

It's a beautiful, sunny Monday afternoon in New York City. As usual, the Big Apple is filled to the brim with tourists and New Yorkers and the heat of the day and congestion of the crowds only increases the temperature. For first-time visitors, this Monday could quickly become an intensely claustrophobic experience. However, for former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, New York City, and more specifically the Renzo Gracie Academy, is just one of the many stops that he'll make on his journey to regain the UFC lightweight title.

Behind the humble persona and courteous attitude, Edgar has an aura about him that exudes a steely reserve, which seems only to have been amplified by his February defeat to Benson Henderson at UFC 144. In the eyes of Edgar and his camp, he should've walked away from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan still the lightweight champion of the world.

When the fight is brought up during his exclusive training day with Train Hard Fight Easy, it’s clear that the absolute disappointment of losing his UFC title still bothers him now, five months on. 

“After the fight, I thought I won. When I watched it back at home, I still thought I won,” Edgar says, with a shrug of his shoulders. “I'm not really too upset now, because I got the rematch. However, I feel like I won because I landed more strikes and I got more takedowns... It was a close fight, though.”

Despite the loss, Edgar refused to wallow in self-pity or indulge any negatives. Instead, he almost instantly began to tell anyone who would listen that he wanted, and more importantly deserved, a rematch. After all, he himself had granted consecutive rematches to BJ Penn and Gray Maynard prior to his showdown with the former WEC champion. 

And what is definitely worth remembering is that against Penn and Maynard, Edgar bounced back from close points decisions in their first title matchups to return with dominating performances in the rematches. That’s something the fans and media have also picked up on, with critics stating that the New Jersey native is a slow starter. And, in regards to the Maynard matches at least, Edgar agrees. He readily admits that in his first two title fights against Maynard he could've done a lot better in those incredible highlight-reel opening rounds.

“With the Gray fight, the first round of those last two fights, I got beaten up pretty good until I got going. In the last fight with Henderson, I didn't really get going until I got hit in the second round,” Edgar accepts. “I like to think that I can go in there and just go right away, but I've definitely had some good comebacks after getting hit too. 

“There's a lot of stuff that I can't see that my coaches can see. In between the rounds, they tell me the adjustments I have to make and I try to do it when I'm in the cage.”

What is always there to see is that Edgar wears his heart on his sleeve and shows the heart of a champion whenever he steps inside the Octagon, something he’s become renowned for during his career. His performances in his last two rematches alone have been celebrated with accolades and awards.

The manner in which he manhandled Penn for five rounds at UFC 118 was astounding. But he topped that performance by managing to knock out previously undefeated Maynard with a brutal uppercut at UFC 136, following their incredible draw at UFC 125. 

However, this time, for the first time, Edgar finds himself in the opposite corner. He’s now in the same situation as his former foes, training as the challenger aiming to defeat the current UFC champion in an immediate rematch. And while he accepts that the gameplan for Henderson is unlikely to change too much, he admits that the problem the first time around wasn’t down to tactics. It was down to him.

Edgar says: “Considering this is my third immediate rematch, I'm kind of in a familiar place. It's not so much about changing things up. I'm just trying to tighten myself up. That's all I'm trying to do. If I go in there and make sure that I'm better than I was last time, then I should win. That's what you do whenever you come off a loss, or a win, you try and improve for every fight.”

Re-load

Edgar is now deep into his training camp and dedicated to “improving himself.” And he’s certainly got the right team behind him to return to the top. The men who spend hours drilling, coaching and mentoring Edgar are an all-star cast of some of the best coaches in MMA today. From BJJ legend Renzo Gracie to Muay Thai master Kru Phil Nurse, to the two men who have been with Edgar from the beginning: boxing coach Mark Henry and former UFC welterweight Ricardo Almeida, Edgar gives every one of them their dues for helping him become one of the most popular and successful mixed martial arts on the planet.

“I believe the reason I do so well in rematches is because of the coaches I have around me,” Edgar offers. “I think they see stuff in fights and see stuff in me that they know I can get better at, and I apply it well. I feel like I'm easy to coach, so with having such great coaches and me being easy to coach I'm able to make up the gap the second time around.”

However, with such fantastic coaching comes a potentially heavy price. With only 24 hours in a day it's hard to fit every single martial art in when everything is under one roof, never mind when coaches are spread across the state. And with so many minds involved, the threat of overtraining also looms heavily over the head of Edgar and his support team. To be a success it’s imperative to know when to be in the gym and when it’s time to walk, and fight another day. It’s something Edgar admits he finds difficult to manage.

“You know, it's definitely a balancing act. You try not to overdo one or lack on another one, but between Ricardo and Mark overseeing my camp, they know what works for me. But they also know what stuff I need to put attention on in the time being,” he says. “You don't want to overdo one and you don't want to slack on another. It's tough at times.”

The beginning

Long before he was fighting for titles in the UFC, Edgar debuted in the sport as a solid wrestler but with limited skills in other areas. The fighter that began his career at Ring of Combat in October 2005 is light years behind the one now preparing to face Benson Henderson a second time. And Edgar admits it wasn't an easy transition – from college wrestling stand-out to mixed martial artist – as adding striking to his arsenal was a lot more difficult than merging in some jiu-jitsu.

He says: “I feel like my stand-up is getting better and better all the time, but I really enjoy jiu-jitsu. You can vastly improve all areas of your jiu-jitsu game. There are so many different ways to attack, as you've got the top game, the bottom game, and there are different variations in each one.

“Obviously there are certain things you can't do if you're a wrestler and you're grappling with a jiu-jitsu guy because you'll get in trouble, but they're so close that it was a little 

easier to transition into.

“I also really appreciate the striking aspect though, really because of the coaching. Ricardo Almeida and Mark Henry are two guys that I'm really close with. Our relationship is really strong so that's why I think I've grown as a striker. However, striking definitely took a little more time to get used to.”

Cardio edge

Edgar’s overriding improvements as a mixed martial artist have made him the champion he is today. However, there is one aspect of his arsenal that he’s had since his days as a wrestler at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Something he’s utilized for years and more often than not simply breaks the will of his opponents: his incredible cardio.

“I've always been good at pushing the pace, even when I was a wrestler; I was an aggressive guy,” he says. “I could go hard for seven minutes and things didn't change once I made the move to MMA. I do a lot of hill sprints and stuff like that. I would say that long-distance running is more for boxing than MMA. However, I do think it's good to switch it up and do long distance running sometimes, though.

“The biggest thing is, if you want to fight a certain way, you have to train that way. You can't expect to do something half-ass then, when it's game time, expect to be able to push it into second gear. 

"If you want to be able go hard for 25 minutes in the cage then that's how you have to train.” To 'go hard for 25 minutes,' as Edgar would put it, is no easy task. Even fighters with outstanding gas tanks can struggle during the championship rounds. Edgar on the other hand still has the same tenacity, energy and speed in the last two minutes of the fifth round that he had in the first two minutes of the opener. 

Hypoxic

However, not only is Edgar facing someone who has no problem matching his pace for 25 minutes, he's also going to have to do battle with the high altitude of Colorado. The last time the UFC traveled to the Pepsi Center the likes of 'Rampage' Jackson, Mark Hunt and Takanori Gomi all gassed out much earlier than they had previously. It's a daunting task for any fighter, but it's one that Edgar is already preparing himself for, months before the opening bell.

“I'm going out there two weeks early to really make sure that I acclimatize properly,” he reveals. “I'm also doing a couple things here in camp with some hypoxic training, but for the most part I think that if I go out early enough, then I'm going to be in great shape come fight night.”

Even though he's improved his striking, utilized his superb wrestling and used his seemingly endless cardio to achieve the success he’s had in the UFC, questions continue to persist about him moving down to 145lb, and we couldn’t not ask about his thoughts during a training exclusive. After all, whilst some lightweights cut from above welterweight, Edgar walks around at pretty much the same weight he’ll aim to match on the scales at the weigh-ins on August 10th: 155lb.

Again, clearly bored of this line of questioning, Edgar feels any criticism of his weight is a completely pointless discussion. He says: “For the most part, I weigh what I weigh. By the time it gets to fight time and after all the hard training I've done, I'm pretty close to weight.

“I can see what people are talking about, though, as they worry about the longevity of my career if I stay at 155lb. However, I think it's because they really just wanna see the possible matchups at 145lb. I can understand that, but you can't deny my success at lightweight. Why fix something if it's not broken?”

So how does a fighter who is a lot smaller than his opposition have the strength to pick someone the size of Maynard up and slam them to the ground, or have the power to knock Benson Henderson off of his feet? Surely Edgar goes through an intense and tiring strength and conditioning regime? According to the former champion, that isn't the case.

“I have a strength and conditioning coach and I usually put it on his shoulders when it comes to what I do regarding weights, but I don't really do a lifting program,” he states. “Our thing is to try and put up a certain weight at the first circuit and to finish it the way I started it.”

Biggest critic

No fighter enjoys losing, and the loss to Henderson clearly bares heavy on Edgar’s soul. He reveals that it's something that even keeps him up at night. And with coaches of the caliber he has by his side you’d think they'd be questioning and reassessing everything the former champ does, both at home and in the gym, and breaking down every single misplaced movement he made during the first fight. But in reality, it's Edgar himself who does all that for them. 

He reflects: “I thought I fought a good fight last time. But I could fight an awesome fight and I'll still pick holes in things, because I'm pretty critical of myself. Benson is definitely a tough guy, but there are definitely things that I can improve on and a few things I can take advantage of in this upcoming fight. 

"If I look back, it was still a pretty good fight.”

When he's sitting down at the Renzo Gracie Academy after a hard couple of hours of rolling with rising UFC featherweight Dustin Poirier, and learning a number of positions and submissions from BJJ wizard John Danaher, it’s clear Edgar feels that things are slowly once more coming together. He’s always been considered the underdog, has always come away from a fight looking worse for wear. But it seems like the loss to Henderson has changed him as a fighter, and as a champion.

There has never been a fight that Edgar has been a part of where he hasn't given every ounce of blood, sweat and tears in search of success. Nobody can ever accuse him of not trying hard enough. However, those around him daily reveal there's an added aggression now to everything he does. Every time he goes for a double-leg, he's not just trying to take an opponent down, he's trying to make sure that once they're there he’s ready to land big strikes. Every time he goes for a submission, he wants his opponent to know that they're either going to tap or he's going to hurt them. It seems very punch he throws is now filled with the disappointment he felt at not getting his hand raised back in February.

When Edgar skips out into the Pepsi Center to the familiar sounds of his walkout music and the adoration of the screaming Denver natives, he'll know he's put everything into this training camp. Edgar, once again, has much more to prove and gain inside the Octagon. And only a 100% Frankie Edgar will suffice. 

Success at UFC 150 would not only solidify his status as one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in MMA, but also single him out as the greatest lightweight champion in the history of the UFC. Not to mention drive all suggestions of him moving down to featherweight back down the throats of anyone who didn't believe he was big enough to dominate the new-look 155lb division. 

“I’ll beat Benson Henderson, and I’ll be the UFC lightweight champion once again,” Edgar adds. And with his track record, even his most ardent critic would be foolish to bet against him.

Afterword:

Sadly for Frankie, he lost the rematch on a split decision after five hard-fought rounds. After this defeat, Frankie moved into the featherweight division searching for another UFC title. In 2019 he announced plans to move to bantamweight. His current MMA win-loss record is 23-7, half those wins by knockout or submission.