Frankie Edgar did not wait that long to hear from Jose Aldo. The Two featherweights were booked for a rematch on July 9th at the prestigious UFC 200, Jose immediately started insulting Frankie telling Rio de Janeiro reporters that “Edgar’s game has stagnated” since Aldo barely got a decision win over “The Answer” early 2013.
Edgar simply says that it’s Aldo trying to recreate the rambunctious approach of UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
“You’re seeing it across the board in all weight classes,” Edgar said. “Guys are getting more vocal. They’re just seeing what it’s done for Conor, so they’re trying to kind of make their voice heard. I think that’s what Aldo is doing.
“Arguably, you could say I haven’t lost a round since me and Aldo fought. He’s just been in some either pretty boring (fights), or wars since our fight. So, I think I’m the one who looks like he’s evolved more than Aldo has. So yeah, I don’t know. I think he’s just talking the fight up.”
“This guy is like I said. People are trying to talk. He’s just not that great at doing it, you know?” Edgar said.
“He’s just trying to create buzz, and I get what he’s trying to do, but we all know he doesn’t fight injured. The guy pulls out of fights every other fight, so he definitely doesn’t fight injured. So we can just throw that one away. And everybody talks about how our fight was close. He wants to sit there and have this false sense of security? Maybe that’s why he’s trying to talk like this, because he’s dealing with this knockout loss. But, by all means, go ahead and go in there super confident.”
“Everybody bounces back differently, looks at it differently,” Edgar said. “But no doubt about it, it’s got to mess with your psyche, especially when you’re as dominant as he has been for the last 10 years, and then, boom, one punch. Literally one punch. Thirteen seconds. And against a guy who gloats. Just, the worst guy who could do that to you, did it. That’s just got to mess with your head. So, we’ll see.”
“You see I’m getting much more comfortable in my fights,” Edgar said. “I feel like I’m much better since we fought three years ago, or over three years ago now. I’m coming into my own in every aspect. I’m kind of finding my feet and hitting with some power. My wrestling and my ground-and-pound is much better. I’m going to go in, just be myself, foot on the gas.
“Whether by grinding him for five rounds or putting him away in the first, I want to show everyone that I came prepared and I’m the best fighter in the world.”