Frankie Edgar Doesn’t Want Jose Aldo; He Still Wants Henderson Rematch

There is a battle a brewing in the UFC, but this one is set to take place outside the Octagon.

Former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar lost his title to Benson Henderson at UFC 144 in Japan over the weekend. Most fans and pundits agree that the decision – although it went unanimously to Henderson according to the judges – could be argued in favor of either fighter.

In the end, however, Henderson walked away with the belt, while Edgar went home empty handed.

Having granted immediate rematches to both of the two most recent fighters he’s faced (B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard), Edgar believes that such a courtesy should be extended to him, as well. But that’s where the crux of the situation arises.

UFC president Dana White has long believed that Edgar, as successful as he’s been at lightweight, has been fighting outside of his natural weight class of 145 pounds. He’s now using the loss to try and nudge Edgar out of the lightweight division down to featherweight.

“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.”

He’s even offering Edgar an immediate shot at the belt currently wrapped around 145-pound kingpin Jose Aldo’s waist.

That’s all well and good by Edgar, but he wants a rematch just the same.

Edgar’s manager, Ali Abdel-Aziz, told MMAWeekly.com as much on Sunday following the fight. And when contacted by senior reporter Damon Martin on Wednesday following White’s remarks, he reiterated those sentiments.

Abdel-Aziz was clear.

Edgar does not want to drop to 145 pounds. He does not want an immediate shot at Jose Aldo. He wants to get back what he believes is rightfully his, the UFC lightweight championship that Benson Henderson currently harbors.

White has made it just as clear that he would like Edgar to drop down to 145. But he has often said that he doesn’t make those decisions for fighters, he leaves it to the fighter and his camp to determine the fighter’s weight class.

And at this point, Edgar and his camp are all-in at 155 pounds.

Make no bones about it; Frankie Edgar wants his rematch!

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