Frankie Edgar on Interim Title: ‘It’s the Number One Contender Belt’
Former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar is on the verge of becoming a two-division UFC titleholder. He'd join the ranks of B.J. Penn and Randy Couture — the only two to achieve the status of two-division champion in the organization's history.
“The Answer” faces former featherweight champion Jose Aldo in a rematch at UFC 200 on July 9 for the interim 145-pound belt. Aldo narrowly defeated Edgar by decision at UFC 156 in February 2013 in Edgar's 145-pound debut.
Reigning featherweight champion Conor McGregor captured the title by knocking out Aldo in just 13 seconds at UFC 194 in December. The Irishman was defeated by Nate Diaz at UFC 196 in March in a fight that took place in the welterweight division.
McGregor lobbied fro a rematch against Diaz following the loss and was granted it. The two were slated to rematch in the UFC 200 main event in Las Vegas. The fight was signed, but McGregor refused to participate in the press conferences promoting the event and was removed from the fight card.
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With McGregor at odds with the organization, Aldo and Edgar will compete for the interim belt. Edgar thinks we should call the pseudo-title what it truly is.
“It’s the number one contender belt. That’s what you should call it,” he said during a recent press conference in New York.
Part of what promotions like about having interim belts is that it creates an easily promoted unification bout when the legitimate titleholder returns. Edgar doesn't think a unification bout will ever take place, or that McGregor will ever fight again in the 145-pound weight class.
“I have a feeling that Conor may never come back down to 145, so the interim will become the real belt,” he said.
