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Throughout his UFC career, Frankie Edgar has defied the odds, emerging as one of the top fighters of his generation. ‘The Answer’ competed at lightweight for the majority of his career, where he’d usually fight much larger opponents.
The size difference didn’t stop Edgar from achieving his goals as he ended up becoming the UFC lightweight champion. Edgar did the unthinkable at the time by defeating then-UFC lightweight champion and one of the greatest fighters of all time, B.J. Penn, at UFC 112.
After back-to-back classics with Gray Maynard, Edgar would lose his UFC lightweight title to Benson Henderson. Following his two defeats to the new champion, Edgar decided to move down to 145 lbs to rejuvenate his career. The American struggled against top featherweights like Max Holloway, Brian Ortega and 'The Korean Zombie', and was clearly undersized yet again.
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‘The Answer’ moved down in weight once more in search of a title in a new division. Edgar looked great in his bantamweight debut, which saw him defeat Pedro Munhoz by split-decision. Unfortunately, he suffered back-to-back knockout losses soon after, losing to Cory Sandhagen and Marlon Vera.
Having competed in three different weight classes and a title shot seeming unlikely, there are still possibilities for Edgar. It's still unclear whether Edgar intends to fight again or retire after his recent loss to Marlon Vera at UFC 268.
This list will look at 5 potential opponents for Frankie Edgar if he chooses to take on one more fight.
#5. Frankie Edgar vs. Raphael Assuncao
Kicking off this list of potential opponents for Frankie Edgar is Raphael Assuncao. Similar to Edgar, Assuncao has competed in three different weight classes during his career. Although he hasn’t won a championship while competing in the WEC and UFC, Assuncao has been a constant fixture in the top 10.
Assuncao is currently on a three-fight losing streak and is in desperate need of a win in his next bout. He is scheduled to compete against Ricky Simon in the final UFC Fight Night event of 2021. It’ll be a crucial fight for the veteran as he will be looking to save his UFC career and avoid a fourth consecutive loss.
Depending on what happens in Assuncao’s next bout, he could be an option for Edgar should he remain at bantamweight.
#4. Frankie Edgar vs. Cody Stamann
Another potential opponent for Frankie Edgar if he decides to take on one more fight would be Cody Stamann.
Based on the current bantamweight rankings, Edgar and Stamann would make a lot of sense in the eyes of the UFC matchmakers. Stamann was a promising young talent when he signed with the UFC in 2017. He was 14-1 when he joined the promotion and looked like he could eventually be a contender in the bantamweight division.
After winning his first three UFC bouts, Stamann was submitted by current UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. The American has endured a turbulent run ever since, going 2-2-1.
Stamann is coming off back-to-back losses to Jimmie Rivera and Merab Dvalishvili. He would be an ideal opponent for Edgar, who is also on a two-fight losing skid.
Stamann is scheduled to fight Said Nurmagomedov at UFC 270 in January. Depending on how he performs, the timing for a potential bout with Edgar could work out perfectly.
#3. Frankie Edgar vs. Clay Guida
Another intriguing matchup for Edgar if he takes another fight, would be Clay ‘The Carpenter’ Guida.
You may be wondering why Edgar would take a fight with a lightweight. Reason being, an Edgar vs. Guida matchup offers two veterans an opportunity to lock horns in a potential final fight for 'The Answer' before retirement.
Guida has enjoyed an incredible MMA career so far. The former Strikeforce lightweight champion has been a mainstay in the UFC for the past 15 years. Guida is closing in on 50 professional fights and his fighting style would make for a fun matchup with Edgar.
Guida has remained competitive at 155 lbs and isn’t in a position where he’s getting outclassed in his fights. ‘The Carpenter’ is coming off a split-decision loss to Mark Madsen at a UFC on ESPN event back in August.
Edgar wouldn’t need to be concerned with the rankings if he doesn’t intend on fighting more than once. And so, the UFC matchmakers might be more open to the idea of matching them up for a one-off fight.
#2. Frankie Edgar vs. Jim Miller 2
If Frankie Edgar decides to take one more fight, a return to lightweight for a rematch with Jim Miller would be fitting.
Miller has enjoyed a solid career in the UFC, but he never got an opportunity to fight for the UFC lightweight championship. He’s come close to an opportunity on a few occasions, but came up short in those fights that would have put him next in line. A fight against the former UFC lightweight champion could be the next best thing.
Prior to their UFC careers, Edgar and Miller fought at Reality Fighting 14, a regional event in Atlantic City, New Jersey. If Edgar and Miller were to fight in the UFC, it’d be fitting if it took place in New Jersey, the city where both fighters were born and raised.
#1. Frankie Edgar vs. Dominick Cruz
Topping this list of opponents for Edgar is Dominick 'The Dominator' Cruz.
If Edgar only wants to compete in one more fight before retiring, Cruz would be the biggest fight that the UFC could offer to 'The Answer'. It's hard to believe that the promotion didn't jump at the opportunity to book Edgar-Cruz after Edgar won his bantamweight debut.
Edgar defeated Pedro Munhoz in his bantamweight debut last August and then accepted the fight against Cory Sandhagen.
Looking back, the UFC had the perfect opportunity to book Edgar vs. Cruz. 'The Dominator' was coming off his loss to then-UFC bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo and both could've benefited from fighting each other.
Moreover, it would an an extremely intriguing matchup between two former champions and legends of the sport. Cruz is scheduled to take on Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269. Depending on what happens in that bout, Cruz vs. Edgar could be a reality in 2022.
