Tonight’s UFC on ESPN 15 event is headlined by a key bantamweight match-up featuring former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar taking on Pedro Munhoz.

Edgar (23-8-1 MMA) will be making his 135-pound debut this evening following a 8-5 run at featherweight.

In his most recent Octagon appearance this past December at UFC Busan, ‘The Answer’ suffered a first-round TKO defeat to former 145lbs title challenger Chan Sung Jung. Prior to that, Frankie Edgar was coming off a unanimous decision loss to Max Holloway in what served as his third failed attempt to capture featherweight gold.

Meanwhile, Pedro Munhoz (18-4 MMA) will be returning to action for this first time since UFC 238 when he steps in the cage with Edgar this evening. ‘The Young Punisher’ was defeated by top contender Aljamain Sterling at the June 2019 event, a setback which snapped his impressive three-fight win streak.

Prior to being outpointed by ‘The Funkmaster’, Munhoz had scored stoppage victories over Bryan Caraway and Cody Garbrandt respectively.

Round one of the UFC on ESPN 15 main event begins and Munhoz comes out quickly with low kicks and pressure. Frankie Edgar with a combination. Pedro returns fire and lands a low kick that drops Frankie to the floor. He gets up and lands a combination. Pedro Munhoz continues to press the action. Edgar catches him with a counter right hook. Big shots from both men in the pocket. Munhoz is just walking forward here. He lands a right. Frankie Edgar side steps and snaps off a jab. Pedro with a heavy right hand. Edgar replies with a low kick. Another big right hand lands for Pedro Munhoz. Herb Dean steps in so Frankie Edgar can collect his mouthpiece. We restart and Munhoz connects with another right hand. Edgar returns fire with a three-punch combination. Pedro fires off a heavy low kick. He lands another. Edgar with a quick flurry. Munhos connects with a jab. He lands another and Frankie ducks down and comes over the top with a right. Another nice punch gets through for Frankie. Pedro Munhoz charges in and lands a left. He just misses with a right and Edgar catches him with a good combination to close out the round.

Round two of the UFC on ESPN 15 main event begins and Frankie Edgar gets things started with a good combination. A nice right hand from ‘The Answer’. Munhoz is bleeding near his left eye. Still, he continues to walk forward while throwing caution to the wind.  Edgar slips as Munhoz comes forward with a flurry but is able to recover and circle out. Frankie Edgar with a nice jab. He lands another. Edgar shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown. Munhoz scrambles back up to his feet almost immediately. Pedro rips a nice shot to the body of Frankie. He leaps in with another right but Edgar connects with a jab and then a uppercut. That cut on Munhoz is really starting to bleed now. Frankie smells blood and shoots in and scores another takedown. Again Pedro is back up very quickly, but these are scoring points for the former lightweight champ. Munhoz with a front kick. Edgar lands a left hand. Munhoz with a good jab on the return. Edgar thinks about a takedown but opts against it. The horn sounds to end round two.

Round three of the UFC on ESPN 15 headliner begins and Pedro Munhoz lands a nice jab to start. Frankie Edgar fires back with a left that lands. Both fighters with hard low kicks. Frankie with a combination. Munhoz answers with a low kick. He snaps a jab and now Frankie is bleeding. Both men are trading punches fearlessly now. Munhoz with a heavy low kick and then another. Frankie comes in and finds a home for a hard left hand. Pedro Munhoz continues to batter ‘The Answer’ with low kicks and jabs. Still, Edgar keeps ripping off these combinations which are landing for the most part. Another heavy low kick lands for Munhoz. Frankie circles and rips off a left hook. Pedro with another jab and then a low kick behind it. Edgar circles and lands a right hand. His nose appears to be busted up. Pedro’s face is wearing some damage as well. Another low kick from Munhoz closes out round three.

These uppercuts from Frankie are INTENSE. #UFCVegas7 pic.twitter.com/EwvDubdBpQ

— UFC (@ufc) August 23, 2020

How do you have it scored after three? #UFCVegas7 pic.twitter.com/Jh01GP1zeC

— UFC (@ufc) August 23, 2020

Round four of the UFC on ESPN 15 main event begins and Frankie Edgar is looking to utilize movement and combinations early. Pedro Munhoz is just stalking him. He lands a low kick but Frankie counters with a left hook. He pumps a double jab in the face of Munhoz. More action from Edgar but Pedro tags him with a right hand. Frankie remains composed and lands a jab. Some forward pressure from the former UFC champion now. He lands a combination but Pedro connects with another hard right on the return. A good flurry from Edgar connects. Pedro Munhoz with a hard kick to the body. More punches in bunches from ‘The Answer’. Munhoz with a good jab in return. One minute remains in the round. Pedro with another stiff jab up the middle. Frankie Edgar bounces left then right and leaps in with a two-punch combo. Pedro circles out and then presses forward once again with a jab. Round four comes to an end.

The fifth and final round of the UFC on ESPN 15 main event begins and Frankie Edgar comes forward with a flurry and then shoots for a takedown. Pedro Munhoz stuffs the attempt. Both men are landing big punches now in the center of the cage. Edgar opts to circles out. Munhoz connects with a pair of kicks. Frankie goes over the top with a right hand. Pedro replies with a front kick but Edgar catches him with a crisp right. The former champ with a spinning attack but Munhoz blocks it. Halfway through the final round now. Munhoz with another heavy low kick. Frankie Edgar returns fire with a left hook that partially connects. Big shots from both men. Munhoz with a hard right. Frankie with one of his won. Final minute now. Both men throwing but not really connecting with anything solid. Munhoz lands a good right. Edgar goes to the body. Another right hand from Pedro Munhoz. The horn sounds to end round five.

Official UFC on ESPN 15 Result: Frankie Edgar def. Pedro Munhoz via split decision (48-47, 46-49, 48-47)

Who would you like to see Frankie Edgar fight next following his decision victory over Pedro Munhoz tonight in Las Vegas? Share your thoughts in the comments section PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on August 22, 2020