PEDRO MUNHOZ VS. FRANKIE EDGAR
Originally slated to take place last month on Fight Island, this fight getting pushed back actually gives it the five-round treatment it deserves as bantamweight stalwart Pedro Munhoz finally welcomes Frankie Edgar to the 135-pound weight class.
Munhoz has crafted an outstanding career inside the UFC cage. He arrived in the promotion following an excellent run on the regional circuit, lost his short-notice debut to Top 10 fixture Raphael Assuncao, and has been a staple in the division ever since.
Though he hasn’t risen to the rank of title contender, he’s a long-time resident of the Top 10 with victories over Rob Font, Brett Johns, and former champ Cody Garbrandt, whom he knocked out in dramatic fashion at UFC 235. All four of his career losses have come against perennial contenders or divisional fixtures and he’s the perfect opponent to welcome “The Answer” to the bantamweight ranks this weekend.
Edgar is a future UFC Hall of Fame inductee who won and successfully defended the lightweight title, then dropped down a division to become a constant presence in the championship chase at featherweight, and now he’s looking to replicate that feat again with this move to bantamweight.
While he’s managed just a 1-3 record over his last four fights, those three losses came against Brian Ortega, Max Holloway, and Chan Sung Jung; the upper tier of talent in the 145-pound weight class. Just as it did at lightweight, the size and strength difference appeared to have caught up to the New Jersey native at featherweight, but he should fit right in competing in his new surroundings.
This is a perfect piece of matchmaking because Munhoz is an accomplished, established factor in the bantamweight division who gets a bump in recognition if he beats Edgar, while the former lightweight champ can immediately stamp himself as a title challenger with a victory in his debut.
It’s a win-win on the matchmaking front and a major win for fans as this one should be a highly competitive, entertaining scrap to close out the show.
