Frankie Edgar wouldn't shy away from Urijah Faber fight, but dreads weight cut

Former WEC champion and current UFC bantamweight star Urijah Faber initially was proposed to coach opposite ex-titleholder Frankie Edgar on “The Ultimate Fighter 19,” but B.J. Penn wound up getting the job.

Now that the show is over and Edgar (17-4-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC) has beaten Penn (16-10-2 MMA, 12-9-2 UFC) in its season-ending fight, it’s no surprise that the topic of a catchweight meeting with Faber (31-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) has resurfaced.

While Edgar would prefer his next fight be against standout Cub Swanson, he said he wouldn’t necessarily turn down a meeting with “The California Kid,” who earlier this month earned a third-round submission win over Alex Caceres.

“Yeah, I could see myself fighting a lot of guys, you know what I mean? It would be a great fight,” he told MMAjunkie at a Q&A session prior to Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 45 event. “(Faber is) a pretty big name; he’s been one of the biggest names in lighter weights forever. I think I’ve done something for myself, too. And, you know, the whole East Coast/West Coast thing, it would be kind of cool, too.

“But it would have to make sense. I’m in a different weight class than him.”

For the moment, Edgar and Faber remain unbooked as key matchups approach in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. Next month at UFC 177, a bantamweight title rematch pits new champ T.J. Dillashaw against deposed kingpin Renan Barao, and a featherweight title rematch between champ Jose Aldo and No. 1 contender Chad Mendes is expected to take place later this year.

If Aldo is unable to defend his title by October, however, there is a chance that an interim title bout could be booked. Swanson, who this past month outpointed Jeremy Stephens for his sixth straight win, would certainly be in the mix for such an opportunity, which is why Edgar is eager to meet him next.

“I think that makes the most sense with the weight class, not just for myself, (but) for him, too,” Edgar said.

It would be hard to argue, however, that a meeting with Faber would be without significant upside for “The Answer.” And when it comes to his title prospects, Faber could be in a tough spot, regardless of the bantamweight title bout’s result. With two previous losses to Barao, he wouldn’t get another title shot any time soon if the belt again changed hands. If Dillashaw beats Barao a second time, it would set up a situation where Faber would have to fight a teammate.

Faber, of course, is the patriarch of the famed Team Alpha Male, where Dillashaw has long trained. Faber recently said he would only take the fight if asked by the new champ. That could make an ex-titleholder such as Edgar a more attractive opponent for the near future.

Of course, it’s not the first time the matchup has been broached. Edgar said he proposed meeting Faber at a 140-pound catchweight at the conclusion of “TUF 19,” but UFC President Dana White nixed the idea. The promotion, of course, prefers that bouts be in a set division so their results carry weight in the pecking order of fighters.

“I was like, ‘I’m not going down to 135 (to meet Faber),’” Edgar said. “But 140, if you really want to do it, let’s do 140. And Dana doesn’t like catchweights.”

Edgar offered that a trip down to bantamweight was possible, but it wasn’t something he wanted to do after years of cutting weight as an amateur wrestler.

At the moment, Edgar is enjoying success as a featherweight. In his season-ending fight with Penn, which headlined this month’s The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale, he dominated from the opening bell to the third round and became just the third fighter to finish Penn via TKO. Afterward, Penn retired from the sport.

“I don’t want to have to be one of those guys that has to lose weight to win titles,” Edgar said. “I really don’t cut much at 145. It makes life enjoyable and the sport fun. I’ve done my fair share of cutting weight through high school and college, and I feel like I don’t have to.”

Edgar said for now, he’ll stay at featherweight unless compelled to move up to his former home in the lightweight division, where he took the title from Penn in 2010 and defended it twice before ceding the belt to now-former champ Benson Henderson.

The 32-year-old New Jersey native estimates he has five years of his prime left before he begins seriously considering retirement. Although he sometimes contemplates an earlier date when he’s feeling run down, Edgar feels confident there’s plenty of time left to build upon his legacy.

At the moment, a Faber bout doesn’t make the most sense for Edgar. But a win over the ex-champ would be a notable career achievement, if it ever happened.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.