Frankie Edgar still has title aspirations and that continues on Saturday night in Madison Square Garden at UFC 268.
Edgar is set to return to the Octagon against Marlon Vera, and for Edgar, when he heard the UFC was going to be back at MSG he jumped at the chance to be on the card.
“As soon as I heard we were going to be here before the holidays, I knew I wanted to be on the card,” Edgar said on Thursday morning to BJPENN.com. “The UFC thought the same so I told them whoever they can get I will fight. They offered me Marlon Vera, which is fine by me as there is no opponent I have my eye on as the only thing I have my eye on is the belt. He’s a dangerous guy and it’s a fight that makes sense.”
Against Vera, Edgar does believe he matches up well. He says his coaches have told him the takedowns will be there for him to take. However, he also knows he has the striking and cardio to cause Vera fits.
In the lead-up to the fight, Frankie Edgar also says he feels better than ever as he only has two or three pounds to cut.
“Honestly, I think I match up well against anybody. If I don’t, I will by the end of training camp. I’m always well-prepared for every fight,” Edgar explained. “I do let my coaches watch his tape and they come up with the game plan, but it is a fight and anything happens and sometimes the game plan changes mid-fight.”
Although Edgar is prepared for whatever, he knows Marlon Vera is a dangerous opponent and he has to be careful. Yet, if everything goes his way, he’ll be able to use his takedowns and cardio to secure the win.
“This fight could go anywhere. Marlon is a wild card as he is dangerous. But, I just have to be a technical fighter,” Edgar said. “I’m always ready to go as long as we need it, I have a motor and the cardio to go 15 hard minutes. I’m ready to push the pace and do whatever it takes to win.”
If Edgar gets his hand raised on Saturday night at UFC 268, he plans to return in early 2022 against whoever the UFC puts in front of him. However, he just hopes it’s someone ranked ahead of him so he can work his way to a title shot.
“I don’t really know where it puts me. I just know winning fixes everything and puts you moving up the rankings. I’m just going to reassess where we are at and figure out our next move after the holidays,” Edgar said. “It’s really about whoever the UFC offers as long as I keep moving forward.”
Do you think Frankie Edgar will beat Marlon Vera at UFC 268?