Frankie Edgar: “I’ll need to be a true martial artists and do it all Saturday”

This Saturday night at UFC 156, MMA fans can look forward to what can only be classified as a Super fight, as former UFC lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar, will make the move down one division to face the undefeated featherweight champion, Jose Aldo. Both men are well known and respected by MMA fans for their skills and multidimensional abilities as martial artists.

Jose Aldo, of Manus Brazil, is considered by many as pound for pound one of MMA’s best; his impressive record in the octagon proves it. Aldo was 8-0 in his time with the now defunct WEC, beating high caliber fighters such as Mike Brown, and Urijah Faber among others. Aldo has continued his domination since moving on to the UFC, going 3-0 with wins over Mark Horminick, Kenny Florian, and Chad Mendes to improve his over all record to a perfect 11-0.

Frankie Edgar for his part has had his share of success, attaining 9-3-1 record, winning the UFC lightweight title and accumulating impressive wins over fighters like Sean Sherk, BJ Penn, and Gray Maynard. Edgar is coming off two loses to the current lightweight champion Benson Henderson, but both fights were close disputed engagements, in which both fighters demonstrated their high caliber in the octagon. Their first affair on UFC144 was declared the fight of the night, and the second match might have won the honors as well, had it not been for an exciting slugfest between Donald Cerrone and Melvin Guillard on the same card.

And so tomorrow night, Frankie Edgar will look to solve the complex riddle that is Jose Aldo, to become only the third man in UFC history to hold the UFC title in two weight divisions. The only other two men to hold this distinction are UFC legends Randy Couture and BJ Penn. To beat Aldo, Edgar realizes that he will have to utilize his full arsenal of weapons as an MMA fighter.

“I’m going to have to do it all,” Frankie would tell us during a video interview at UFC pre fight event. “I’ll need to be a true martial artists and do it all; transaction from the striking, to the take downs, to Jiu Jitsu and reverse.”

For Edgar this will also be his debut in the featherweight division, a move he feels comfortable with as he proclaimed himself ready to fight. “I feel the same (in his new weight division) to be honest with you. Maybe just a little efficient, I’m not carrying extra weight. I feel quick, I feel strong. I’m ready to go,” Edgar would tell us.

Before concluding our interview with Edgar we couldn’t help but to tie together the fact that we cover MMA as well as boxing, and make note of the fact, that his fighting style and his will to win, reminded us of another guts and heart warrior that used to fight out of New Jersey, that being the late former boxing world champion Arturo Gatti. Edgar would credit his pride for his own will and determination, and did acknowledge Gatti as another ‘Jersey guy’ and one he was happy to have watched.

“I prepare very hard, I just have a strong will, have a lot pride and just don’t like to lose. I think that’s what gets me through those big fights. I definitely get noticed at home, I’m from Jersey and Arturo is a Jersey guy. I did go see him twice, I was fortunate to have attended some his fights.

Entire video interview with Frankie Edgar

Photos by Armando Romo