Kemal
12-09-2013, 06:36
The UFC's pound-for-pound king of rematches will takes part in another career trilogy.
UFC officials today announced that former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar will face for a third time former dual-division title holder B.J. Penn in a featherweight showdown.
The matchup, which was revealed on Wednesday's new edition of "UFC Tonight," is scheduled to take place after the two serve as coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter 19," which debuts in January. Edgar and Penn are expected to fight at an as-yet-undetermined event.
Edgar and Penn (16-9-2 MMA, 12-5-1 UFC) met twice in 2010, with "The Answer" victorious over "The Prodigy" in both contests. At UFC 112, Edgar claimed the UFC lightweight title. He then defended the belt four months later at UFC 118. Both results came via unanimous decision.
UFC President Dana White said he booked the fight after Penn informed him he had a burning to desire to avenge his two losses to Edgar.
"He says, 'I can beat Frankie Edgar,'" White said. "The two first fights were BS. I want that fight agin. I want to beat this guy so bad. It's all I want."
Edgar, of course, fought as a lightweight for the majority of his career. However, he made the drop to 145 pounds earlier this year for a failed bit to unseat champ Jose Aldo. In July, he bounced back with a win over Charles Oliveira.
Meanwhile, Penn is a former titleholder at both 170 and 155 pounds. However, the fight with Edgar would mark his first at featherweight, and if he could find a way to make a championship run, he could become the first fighter in UFC history to earn titles in three different weight classes.
Penn previously served as a coach on "The Ultimate Fighter 5," which aired in 2007. "The Ultimate Fighter 19" is expected to feature light heavyweight and middleweight UFC hopefuls. Filming begins in Las Vegas in mid-October.
UFC officials today announced that former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar will face for a third time former dual-division title holder B.J. Penn in a featherweight showdown.
The matchup, which was revealed on Wednesday's new edition of "UFC Tonight," is scheduled to take place after the two serve as coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter 19," which debuts in January. Edgar and Penn are expected to fight at an as-yet-undetermined event.
Edgar and Penn (16-9-2 MMA, 12-5-1 UFC) met twice in 2010, with "The Answer" victorious over "The Prodigy" in both contests. At UFC 112, Edgar claimed the UFC lightweight title. He then defended the belt four months later at UFC 118. Both results came via unanimous decision.
UFC President Dana White said he booked the fight after Penn informed him he had a burning to desire to avenge his two losses to Edgar.
"He says, 'I can beat Frankie Edgar,'" White said. "The two first fights were BS. I want that fight agin. I want to beat this guy so bad. It's all I want."
Edgar, of course, fought as a lightweight for the majority of his career. However, he made the drop to 145 pounds earlier this year for a failed bit to unseat champ Jose Aldo. In July, he bounced back with a win over Charles Oliveira.
Meanwhile, Penn is a former titleholder at both 170 and 155 pounds. However, the fight with Edgar would mark his first at featherweight, and if he could find a way to make a championship run, he could become the first fighter in UFC history to earn titles in three different weight classes.
Penn previously served as a coach on "The Ultimate Fighter 5," which aired in 2007. "The Ultimate Fighter 19" is expected to feature light heavyweight and middleweight UFC hopefuls. Filming begins in Las Vegas in mid-October.