Max Holloway vs. Frankie Edgar Is Back On At UFC 222
If you were upset that Frankie Edgar was forced to pull out of his scheduled featherweight title bout versus Max Holloway at UFC 218 on December 2, 2017, you won’t have to wait long to see it.
UFC officials confirmed today that the surging “Blessed” will take on former lightweight champion Edgar in the main event of March 3’s UFC 222 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Hawaiian Holloway turned heads in every corner of the mixed martial arts world throughout 2017, winning the official UFC 145-pound title from longtime former champion Jose Aldo via third-round TKO at June 2017’s UFC 212 and defending it by stopping Aldo in the third round once again at UFC 218 after “The Answer” was forced out with an orbital injury. The victories against the all-time great had Holloway high on many people’s “Fighter of the Year” list, and many thought he was indeed the best of 2017.
The win gave Holloway an unprecedented 12th in a row since his unanimous decision loss to former champion Conor McGregor in August 2013. He also won the interim featherweight belt against Anthony Pettis at December 2016’s UFC 206.
He’ll face one of the most grizzled veterans in the UFC in Edgar, who has exhibited toughness and grit uncommon even in the highest levels of MMA. “”The Answer” was last seen dominating formerly touted prospect Yair Rodriguez at last May’s UFC 211 to earn his title shot, which will almost certainly be his last in the octagon without a win, as he’s dropped four straight bouts with a belt on the line.
But he’s also won his last seven non-championship fights and has been one of if not the most consistent performers in the UFC for many years. He won the lightweight title from legend BJ Penn in 2010 and defended it against longtime rival Grey Maynard before dropping two close bouts to Benson Henderson and moving down to featherweight in 2013.
Healed from his orbital issue, Edgar will now have his latest- and most likely last – chance to win UFC gold.
Can he stop the momentum of a surging freight train like Holloway?
