EDMONTON — Frankie Edgar is understandably frustrated after UFC 240.
One of the game’s most tenacious and respected competitors gave it his all in his third attempt to capture a version of the featherweight title on Saturday night.
And while he showed the heart and effort which has made him one of the sport’s most beloved fighters, Holloway (21-4 MMA, 17-4 UFC) won the bout handily via unanimous decision.
At 37, Edgar (23-7-1 MMA, 17-7-1 UFC) is getting no younger, and doesn’t know if he’s going to get another shot.
“I’m heartbroken, man,” Edgar said at the UFC 240 post-fight news conference. “It’s tough when you want something really that bad and can’t get it and I’ve been close so many times before.”
Edgar believes he won a couple rounds in the bout (one judge concurred with that sentiment, scoring it 48-47, but the other two scored it 50-45). But even then, that’s not much consolation.
“I thought I did well. I did the best I can,” Edgar said. “My hat’s off to Max. He was able to keep the tide going in certain rounds. I thought I was doing well. He was able to flip the tide here and there.
“I thought I won a couple (rounds). It’s tough to really say when I’m in there. I guess I’ve got to watch the fight, but it doesn’t really matter. My team thought I won a couple (rounds), too. But it doesn’t matter whether I won (rounds) or not.”
That left the former UFC lightweight champion angry at himself.
“I’m pissed off, you know? A little disappointed. I’m proud of my performance, but I’m disappointed in letting my team down. I know they’re proud of me, but I always want to deliver a victory for them because they sacrifice so much.”
Still, it’s not like we’re talking about a washed-up fighter, here. Although he lost to Holloway and had a pair of decision losses in title fights to Jose Aldo, Edgar is 8-1 in non-title fights since dropping to 145.
And he clearly knows it.
“I’m not going nowhere.”
To hear more from Edgar, watch the video above.
For complete coverage of UFC 240, check out the UFC results.
