Henderson-Edgar are set to go at it a second time after originally facing off in February with “Bendo” bringing home the belt by way of decision. However, as the fight was relatively close and took place in Japan, the organization decided to give Edgar another crack after considering his willingness to do the same for others in the past in addition to the division’s lack of a consensus top contender.

The loss to Henderson was only the second of Edgar’s career and snapped a seven-fight unbeaten streak. He holds an overall record of 14-2-1 including victories over Sean Sherk, Jim Miller, Gray Maynard, and B.J. Penn.

Likewise, the 16-2 “Smooth” has won all four of his bouts since joining the UFC after a respectable run in WEC. Among his notable triumphs are those over Miller, Donald Cerrone, and Clay Guida.

The UFC 150 lineup is also scheduled to feature fights including Jake Shields-Ed Herman and Luiz Cane-Yushin Okami.

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According to multiple reports, Henderson will defend his belt against Edgar at UFC 150 in Denver, Colorado. The fight marks the second time UFC gold will have been defended in the “Mile High City” in recent memory with Jon Jones’ submission victory over Quinton Jackson taking place there this past September.

News of the match-up and its attachment to UFC 150 was first reported by MMAJunkie with MMAWeekly also confirming the information with sources close to both scrappers.

Edgar and Henderson first met in February where the two went at it for twenty-five competitive minutes with “Bendo” ultimately emerging with the judges’ nod after doing more damage and controlling the bulk of the bout’s action. However, Edgar was awarded a second shot based on a public plea where the immediate rematches he gave to B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard were mentioned as well as the lack of another clear-cut #1 contender at 155 pounds.

Prior to the loss Edgar was 6-0-1 with wins over Maynard, Penn, and Sean Sherk. Meanwhile, Henderson’s performance pushed his winning streak in the UFC to four with success against Edgar, Mark Bocek, Jim Miller, and Clay Guida.

UFC 150 is scheduled for August 11 and will feature other bouts including Yushin Okami-Luiz Cane and Dennis Hallman-Thiago Tavares.

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“I’m ready to go now. We can do it now. I’ve gotta cut a little weight first but I’m ready to go right now,” laughed Henderson when asked for his take on the topic last weekend after UFC 145 had concluded. “It’s up to Dana (White), whatever they think is best time-wise, but I’m down for whatever.”

While he may not be ready for the scale yet, Henderson was happy to weigh in on how he was approaching Edgar this time around with the roles of champion-challenger being reversed.

“I don’t really think about to much as defending the belt as going out there and doing whatever it takes to get my hand raised, no matter what it is. Whether you’re winning the belt, defending the belt, whether it’s your first time in the UFC, whether it’s your first time being on the main card, whatever it is…it’s just get your hand raised,” explained the polished 28-year old.

Currently the most logical destinations for Henderson vs. Edgar II appear to be UFC 149 on July 21 or UFC on FOX 4 in Los Angeles a few weeks later. Time certainly appears to be of the essence as well in terms of making the match-up, as the next #1 contender to the lightweight belt will be revealed on May 5 when Jim Miller meets Nate Diaz in the main event at UFC on FOX 3.

Watch the full interview with “Bendo” below:

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Unlike many trilogies, though the finish put a stamp on their trio of tilts it didn’t break a tie so much as created one thanks to a January 2011 Draw between Maynard-Edgar. With things at 1-1-1, the 32-year old Maynard has since said he’d like to give it one more go at some point in the future with the belt preferably being involved.

“The title has always been the goal,” initially explained Maynard in an interview with HeavyMMA before adding, “I would love to have the belt and somewhere along the line, get another fight with Edgar. We are 1-1-1 and we need to settle it once and for all. It has to happen eventually, and after that fight we can both be done. We can walk away knowing it’s over and that we gave MMA fans some great fights to look back on.”

Turning fantasy into reality will first involve beating Clay Guida on June 22 in a five-round headliner at UFC on FX 4. On that topic, Maynard showed due respect to Guida for his aggressive grappling and endless cardio, also pointing to the bout as being indicative of how deep the 155-pound weight-class is.

“The lightweight division is like a drama. It is like a good soap opera that draws you in because it’s not built up off bullsh*t hype. There is no fake build-up where guys are talking a bunch of sh*t in order to get fan’s attention,” said an animated Maynard. “It’s all in the actual fights people are seeing, and it is the most competitive weight class in the UFC, hands down. The skill and heart displayed in our division is without comparison. We go out there, put it all on the line and get after it from bell to bell.”

Other big lightweight match-ups on the horizon include Edgar vs. Benson Henderson and Jim Miller vs. Nate Diaz.

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Hughes, who is quite familiar with rematches during his career, said, “Frankie had to give rematches to both (BJ) Penn and (Gray) Maynard, so I think Frankie brought in a great point and he should get the rematch too.”

Edgar, after defeating Penn for the title, was put into an immediate rematch with “The Prodigy.” He also won that fight. The trilogy with Maynard is quite possiblly one of the best in MMA history, as Maynard won the first, the two fought to a suspenseful Draw in the second, and “The Answer” ended it with a vicious stoppage victory in the third after getting rocked early.

As for Sonnen, he will be looking to exact revenge on UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva in his own rematch when they fight later this year.

“I don’t care who these guys fight as long as it’s not me,” Sonnen exclaimed of Edgar-Henderson. “There are so many great fighters in that weight class. Those guys are so good, it’ll be a great fight.”

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The match-up has been confirmed by the UFC, and, though no specific date has been attached to the affair, the two are tentatively scheduled to scrap this summer.

Edgar and Henderson turned in a Fight of the Night performance a few weeks ago in Japan where “Bendo” came away with the belt despite many feeling as though Edgar deserved to retain the gold he won from B.J. Penn in April 2010. Moments after the bout Edgar began asking for a chance at redemption, both due to the nature of the result and the notion he’d done the same for Penn and Gray Maynard. While UFC President Dana White originally balked at the idea, instead urging the undersized 155er to move to the featherweight division, a firm stance from “The Answer” and the lack of any clear-cut contender in place apparently were enough to force the organization’s hand.

The timing of the tussle also aligns perfectly with a May meeting between Jim Miller-Nate Diaz with the winner likely emerging as the next challenger to the lightweight crown. Left in the cold is Anthony Pettis who is now forced to turn his attention to the next opponent the UFC lines up for him instead of a title-shot some felt he’d earned by knocking out Joe Lauzon last month as well as holding an earlier, and exciting, win over Henderson.

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“Smooth” seems ready to get back in the routine of practice and training, and, as he revealed yesterday, is even willing to give Edgar the rematch he seeks.

“Frankie had a very tough situation. He had a rough road with two rematches right away after his title defenses,” said Henderson while serving as a guest on Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour. “I’m more than willing to give Frankie a rematch. Let’s do it. Set it up for tomorrow.”

“Bendo” also elaborated saying he as a MMA fan understood Edgar’s case and didn’t want to be a guy they felt was afraid of giving the 30-year old another shot to make things right.

Additionally, Henderson talked about facing Anthony Pettis who UFC President Dana White said was near the front of the line in terms of a title-shot. “Showtime” was the last man to defeat Henderson, taking a WEC title from him, and picked up a Knockout of the Night win at UFC 144 over Joe Lauzon.

“Do I want to face Pettis again? Absolutely,” Henderson said after questioning Pettis’ recent accomplishments. “We will see each other again. Before I retire, before I die, I’m going to see Anthony Pettis again.”

For now, Henderson will wait and see what the UFC decides is next for him, but he will do so as the champion and with an open mind in terms of who he faces.

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UFC

“I’m saying it, and I’m saying it loud – I want my rematch,” said Edgar as a guest this week on The MMA Hour. “I’m not going to have these antics or play these games. I’m telling you want I want. This is what I want. I think it’s fair. I think the fans want to see it. It was Fight of the Night.”

Though the five-round fight saw Henderson emerge as the winner on the judges’ scorecards, many who watched things unfold (including White) felt Edgar deserved the nod despite his battered physical appearance. While some fans are no doubt opposed to Edgar getting a rematch, especially after having his eye and nose busted up pretty badly, the 30-year old former champion explained why his critics would likely enjoy the second scrap, stating, “Listen, even if these guys want to see me get beat up, I do get beat up in a lot of my fights, even in the fights I win, so it’s win-win for everybody.”

“I think the rematch makes sense on several levels,” he continued. “Not only can UFC be good guys, I think I earned it. Economically, they’ve been investing money in me. I’ve been at the helm of this weight class for two years now. I think it just makes sense for them and obviously for me. Let’s do it.”

“I’m staying at 155. This is where I’m at right now. I still feel like I got a run left. I still want that title back,” Edgar concluded on the topic.

The UFC has not announced their plans for Henderson yet, only mentioning the possibility of rematch with Edgar or Anthony Pettis who took “Bendo” out in memorable fashion at WEC’s final show in 2010.

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Though fans, media members, and even his employers may be pushing for Edgar to make the move to featherweight, at least one person with an intimate knowledge of the division thinks Edgar would be wise to reconsider.

Andre Pederneiras, who is divisional champion Jose Aldo’s primary coach at Nova Uniao, recently went on Twitter to warn Edgar about the risk of swimming in the pool with a shark like his star pupil.

“The biggest advantage that Edgar has he would lose at 66kg…his speed,” the widely respected trainer wrote before adding, “Aldo keeps the belt.”

Edgar himself has also been opposed to the idea of joining the featherweight roster, stating he wants an immediate rematch with Henderson based on how close their original encounter was not to mention how competitive he’s been in general at 155 pounds.

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Though bloodied and bruised, Edgar took to the stage after last night’s event concluded and spoke some about having lost a hard-fought decision to newly crowned king Henderson. He also made it clear he felt the judges dropped the ball when it came to scoring things.

“I don’t want to take anything away from Ben. He did a great job. But I did feel I won that fight,” said a visibly disappointed Edgar. “I’m not trying to cheat anybody out of anything they deserve but I had to do two immediate rematches, so what’s right?”

UFC President Dana White also came forward to admit he had the fight even entering the fifth frame and felt Edgar did enough in the round to earn the eventual nod. However, Anthony Pettis’ name was also mentioned in relation to a potential title-shot after opening the PPV up with a highlight-reel knockout of Joe Lauzon in addition to being the last person to defeat Henderson.

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Tonight, Edgar will look to defend his title once again when he takes on Benson Henderson in the main event of UFC 144 from Saitama, Japan. The UFC is returning to The Land of the Rising Sun for the first time in more than a decade.

Edgar finally ended his long-running feud with Gray Maynard late in 2011, knocking out “The Bully” and stamping his name among the list of top pound-for-pound fighters out there. In “Smooth,” Edgar knows he will face another worthy challenger.

“Every fight, I would love to get them out of there in 30 seconds and make it a nice, easy day,” said Edgar, in a recent interview with the UFC’s website. “But that just doesn’t seem how it works for me and I never prepare for that. I’m expecting a war, I know how tough he is, I know he brings a hellacious pace, and he wants it.”

Henderson defeated Jim Miller and Clay Guida to secure his position as #1 contender in the division. He also wore the WEC title before dropping it to Anthony Pettis in one of the best fights of 2010.

“This is the UFC title we’re talking about,” Edgar said. “No one’s gonna walk into this fight not wanting this badly, because I know how I was when I was a challenger, so I gotta approach it as a champion ready for a hungry kid.”

Catch Edgar’s attempt to fend off “Bendo” tonight on PPV at 10:00 PM EST with prelims on Facebook/FX starting approximately three hours earlier.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar has heard it all regarding the adversary he’ll defend his title against this weekend at UFC 144, Benson Henderson, and if asked would likely agree with the hype heaped upon the former WEC title-holder’s shoulders. However, Edgar would have it no other way, as he embraces the pressure as a means of remaining motivated.

“He possesses a lot of good skills,” said Edgar of Henderson in an interview with the UFC promoting Saturday night’s show. “He’s very hard to submit. He’s got a strong wrestling base. He’s a unique striker.”

“I don’t try to give my opponents any weaknesses cause I want to put them on a pedestal,” the 14-1 champion continued. “I almost like to go into fights a little scared of opponents because that’s gonna motivate me to win.”

Edgar also draws his fire from the strap around his waist, though not because of the fame or fortune attached to the shiny trinket. Rather, it’s about the things that have gone into the title most would consider to be far more valuable than gold

“For me right now, to be lightweight champ, it means everything. That’s why I’m in this to be…I’m not in this to play second fiddle to anybody,” Edgar explained. “It’s not so much the belt that holds the significance but it’s what the belt means and how much I’ve worked for it…how much my team has worked for it and how much my family has sacrificed for it. So yeah, I’m not gonna give that belt up very easily.”

Check out the full video below and make sure to catch UFC’s return to Japan this weekend:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Edgar was recently an unknowing guest on Yahoo Sports’ Blindsided, a prank-based show focused on catching athletes off their guard. With the assistance of UFC featherweight Akira Corassani, one of Edgar’s training partners, the show’s camera crew set up a situation featuring the 155-pound champion’s prized BMW in the process of being towed.

Needless to say “The Answer” is less than pleased to see his car in such a state when he arrives on the scene after practice.

Watch below to see his priceless reaction including enough four-letter words to even make Dana White blush:

UFC president Dana White confirmed the bout during last night’s post-fight press conference.

Losing the WEC lightweight title at the final WEC last December to Anthony Pettis put Henderson’s immediate UFC title aspirations on hold, but with a three fight UFC winning streak under his belt, “Smooth” is exactly where he wants to be. Henderson picked up convincing decision victories over Mark Bocek and the highly touted Jim Miller to earn a #1 contender’s fight against the ultra-popular Guida. The former WEC champ proved once again that he’s as good as anyone in the world at 155 by out-working “The Carpenter” en route to another decision win. The bout, which was not televised on FOX, earned Fight of the Night honors.

While Henderson fought hard to earn a title shot in 2011, Edgar fought hard to keep the title. Facing Maynard, the only man to defeat him in his professional career, twice this year, Edgar was nearly finished in the first round of both contests but somehow survived both times. In January, Edgar fought back from a 10-8 first round to earn a draw and in October, he fought back to finish Maynard in the fourth round to retain the title. Both bouts are on the shortlist for fight of the year.

UFC 144 is scheduled for February 24 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Frankie Edgar

The Jets went out and claimed a convincing 24-6 victory improving to 3-3 on the year as a result. Edgar was on the sidelines during the game, still basking in the glory of a recent victory over Gray Maynard at UFC 136.

“Thanks very much to the Jets for the opportunity and the hospitality,” Edgar wrote on his Twitter account after the game Monday.

“The Answer” currently does not have an upcoming bout scheduled but could be pitted against Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez if he is signed to the UFC. He could also be paired with the winner of the upcoming Ben Henderson-Clay Guida fight, scheduled for November 12 at UFC on FOX 1.

Edgar first gave a locker room speech to the Jets in November of last year, and New York scored a game-winning touchdown in the final seconds to defeat the Houston Texans.

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One would think that he’s proven this already. If you ask any fan who the best fighter ever to compete at 155 pounds is, they’ll probably tell you B.J. Penn. Of course, Frankie beat him twice. He’s also beaten a number of guys that have been considered amongst the best lightweights in the world, and on Saturday night he avenged the only loss he’s ever had in the sport.

On top of his recorded accomplishments he’s also showcased an ever-evolving understanding of the sport, as well as a true warrior spirit. His boxing has become second-to-none, and his wrestling still holds up against the strongest guys in the division. He also happens to have an iron will and an unbreakable spirit, as he once again came back from the brink of defeat to keep victory just out of Gray Maynard’s reach.

So why does everyone still insist that he should fight at featherweight?

Don’t get me wrong, I get it. Frankie would undoubtedly run game on a whole host of guys at 145 lbs. I wouldn’t want to pick a winner between him and Jose Aldo but I would love to see it someday. If and/or when he does lose the UFC Lightweight Championship he may want to consider dropping down in weight, but that’s his decision to make at the time he feels like making it.

Frankie would make a great featherweight, but you know what? Roy Nelson would make a great light heavyweight if he decided to start dieting. Thiago Alves would make a great lightweight if he stopped lifting weights so much. Stefan Struve would make…actually I suppose he’s kind of stuck where he is, so nevermind that one.

My point is this: I’m sick of people who aren’t fighters telling fighters what weight class they should be at. As Joe Rogan pointed out during commentary on Saturday, Frankie feels that his smaller size gives him an advantage. He’s quicker than most lightweights, and his conditioning has been simply outstanding in each of his five-round fights. If I was a fighter I would probably hate cutting weight too, so what’s wrong with Frankie being one of the few guys that doesn’t have to do it?

The results should speak for themselves. Edgar is making a strong argument for the distinction of being the best lightweight in the sport’s relatively-brief history. Let him make his case and stop trying to tell him he’s too small, because he will just keep proving you wrong.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Frankie Edgar

Edgar and Maynard fought to a draw this past January, leaving no one feeling happy about the result. Now, after having a match postponed due to injuries suffered by both men, they prepare to enter the Octagon to square off in the main event of UFC 136.

After being battered and bruised over the opening round, Edgar fought back to nearly finish Maynard. But, when the scorecards were read by Bruce Buffer and a Draw was announced, Edgar knew a rematch would be planned.

However, professional rivalry aside, there hasn’t been much in terms of trash talk between the two fighters, instead, they have let their past fights – the draw, and a win by Maynard over Edgar in 2008 – do the talking.

“That (trash talk) always get the people going and it sells fights, but for myself, and being the kind of person I am, I’d rather do my work in the cage,” Edgar explained in a conversation with the UFC’s website. “Gray’s a pretty reserved dude, and so am I, and I think our fight will speak for itself.”

While many have Edgar as the favorite heading into the fight, it is Maynard that owns the win in the series, something that has been on Edgar’s mind for quite some time.

“I think I’m on the right track,” said Edgar on preparing for a successful showing against Maynard. “Nothing changes in between my fights. I just try to become a better fighter than I was the last time. If I know that I’m a better fighter than I was my last time out, I did my job and I improved in all areas. And again, I felt like I accomplished that. I feel like I’m better at Jiu-Jitsu, better at boxing, better at Muay Thai, better at wrestling, and I’m better at putting it all together. It’s showing in the room and showing in my confidence.”

“I feel like I am closing the gap,” Edgar said. “So hopefully, I’ll keep closing the gap and I’ll be on top this time around.”

Such was the case with UFC lightweight champ Frank Edgar who held on to consciousness against Gray Maynard earlier this year only to overcome the early damage and work his way back into retaining the title by a thread. However, even the gold around his waist didn’t satisfy the hunger in his belly.

“I was just super disappointed,” explained Edgar in an interview with the UFC’s website. “It was a draw and I was still the champ, but it felt like a loss to me. I hate losing. And I don’t think I really took into consideration the performance I put on after going through what I did in the first round, so I was proud of what I was able to do and how I was able to bounce back, but I didn’t win a fight. I may not have lost, but I didn’t win, and that’s always my main objective and the most important thing.”

He also knows there are other contenders laying in wait for a shot at the title he expects to hold onto this weekend when he and Maynard mix it up at UFC 136 but is only focused on the task at hand rather than what the future might hold.

“You can’t help but notice the guys that are creeping on the door, but I try to not get distracted by that. There’s always gonna be the next guy. No matter what I do, whether I win or I don’t, there’s always gonna be the next guy. I’ll worry about Gray and take it from there.”

Knowing there will always be someone out there trying to take his top ranking in the division is a significant part of what motivates the New Jersey native who turns 30 a week after his defense this weekend.

“It makes me nervous more than anything,” he playfully responded. “It makes me want to get up and train. I don’t get a bigger head from it; if anything, I get more nervous about getting knocked off, I guess. But it’s more motivation for me. Some people, I think once they get there they relax and that’s why they don’t stay there. For me, I’m definitely on my toes at all times.”

And that’s where he’ll hope to remain this Saturday night in Houston – on his toes, or feet more exactly – while holding on to his spot and the golden glory coming with it.

Fans can catch Edgar’s fight with Maynard as the PPV headliner with the show starting at 9:00 PM EST. Preliminary pairings will air/stream through Spike TV and Facebook in the hours preceding the event.

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The UFC spread word of the main event match-up earlier today through their Twitter account confirming both 155ers had fully recovered from the injury issues preventing their previously scheduled fight at UFC 130.

Edgar was viciously dropped early on the last time he tangled with Maynard but regained his composure to even up the scorecards at the end of their five-round war in January. However, while not a loss, the outing put an end to a winning streak including success against Sean Sherk and a pair of victories over B.J. Penn. It also involved the second time Maynard ended an impressive run for Edgar.

The undefeated Xtreme Couture original handed the current champ the first and only loss of his career after outpointing Edgar in 2008 at Fight Night 13 through his trademark style of grinding opponents down. Maynard boasts an overall record of 10-0-1 with eight wins in the Octagon, as well as other winning performances against a number of respected peers like Roger Huerta, Nate Diaz, Jim Miller, and Ken Florian.

Today’s news caps off a busy stretch for UFC matchmaker Joe Silva in relation to UFC 136 with a handful of other fights also recently announced including hot heavyweights Dave Herman and Mike Russow squaring off at the show, as well as submission specialist Demian Maia dueling well-rounded adversary Jorge Santiago and rising contender Brian Stann against recent title-challenger Chael Sonnen in 185-pound action.

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Such a perfect storm has unfortunately appeared on the forecast for May, as UFC lightweight champ Frank Edgar and top contender Gray Maynard have both been sidelined with damage sustained while training for their UFC 130 title-fight and will no longer be fighting over Memorial Day Weekend as a result.

News of the cancellation first surfaced by MMAFighting with the UFC confirming the show-altering circumstances within minutes of their report while also relaying word the pairing of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Matt Hamill will now serve as the main event. Additionally, Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story will be bumped up from the preliminary portion to the PPV card.

While specifics of the injuries were not readily available in terms of complete damage or recovery time, Edgar was said to have suffered broken ribs while Maynard’s knee in the source of his setback.

The May 28 match-up would have marked the third time the two had fought with Maynard handing Edgar the only loss of his career three years ago and then nearly knocking him out in a rematch at UFC 125 only to see the 155-pound champ battle back to retain his belt by way of a Draw.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC