Frankie Edgar spoke to Telegraph Sport ahead of his defence of the UFC lightweight title against Gray Maynard in Houston, Texas, on Saturday night, the headline event at UFC 136.
Frankie, how does it feel facing Gray Maynard for a third time and twice in a title fight?
It’s quite strange. We’ve been in there so many rounds with each other we now know each other’s moves pretty well. But I still have to prepare in the same environment but a different camp, a different style and, strangely, they know a bit more about you and you know more about them. It equals things out but the bottom line is that a training camp is still the same thing and you push yourself to the limit.
Maynard almost had you knocked out in the first round in the last fight, have you watched the fight back?
Yes, I wasn’t aware in that first round. I was in survival mode…I don’t remember much of it but I was proud of the way I was able to bounce back. You don’t want to have too many of those rounds in your career. I looked at the tape and I studied what I did wrong in that first round and what he did well and I will try to negate it this time.
What did the corner do between rounds to get you back and focused?
There was no voodoo (laughs). They made sure they caught my eye and made sure I was listening to them and then calmed me down to get me through it.
In those moments, as in the first round, pretty much you don’t remember very much at all and you don’t really remember much of it afterwards.
Will this mean a change of strategy this time, a game of chess between you and Maynard?
Yes, I definitely think it will be more strategic given that we have been there so often against each other but the baseline for me is that I’ve got to sort all my skills. The best things I can do in a fight. I don’t know what plan he’s going to come in with. So the best way for me to prepare is to have the me in every facet of the game. If I can do that, I’ve prepared properly.
The second time you defeated BJ Penn defending the lightweight title, you were more dominant over him. What do you put that down to?
More than strategy it was my confidence going into that fight. The first time against BJ – you are in there against this great champion who has this presence. There is an aura there. Once I knew I could beat him, the second time I faced him I felt that I had a presence. That last fight with Gray, to get through it and show my toughness has only helped my confidence that much more.
Aren’t you talking about the heart and mentality of a champion?
Absolutely. Sometimes champions just wipe through everybody but don’t get to show it [their toughness and resilience]. I got to show it. In that way I was very fortunate.
If you beat Gray Maynard this time would you consider doing what Randy Couture and BJ have done and go for holding two belts in different weight divisions? Does that interest you?
It’s intriguing to me. As a competitor who doesn’t want to test themselves in every which way possible. To go up to 170lbs might be a bit tough. I’m already a small 155lbs fighter so 145 is definitely an option for me. I’d like to play it out against all the best 155 fighters first and see how that goes but you know if the UFC approached me, I’d be into it [against Jose Aldo].
Can you make the weight easily at 145?
I wrestled at 141 in college five or six years ago and I’m not bigger than I was then so I don’t think it would be a problem for me.
A fight between yourself and Aldo [or Kenny Florian] is one the fans would be fascinated by especially as you and Aldo are highly ranked in the pound-for-pound list. What do you think?
Look, obviously I cannot look past Gray Maynard because if you take your eyes off your next opponent you can lose the belt that quickly.
Why is Gray Maynard talking a bigger fight this time?
He was this close [puts thumb and forefinger an inch apart] to being a champion the last time we fought so he really needs to talk himself into it this time. He didn’t get there – I didn’t let him. I was about as close as I could be to being put away. He threw everything and the kitchen sink at me, and he didn’t put me away. I don’t know if that scares him or what, but that’s why he is pumping himself up.
Has life changed a lot for you since becoming the lightweight champion? Are you still working with your father in his plumbing firm?
You know – I don’t anymore. I’m so busy with my MMA career, and I don’t plan to go back up on the roofs or under sinks plumbing. I plan to do something in the fight world for the rest of my working life. My life hasn’t really changed a lot in the last 18 months, I hang out with the same kids I hung out with at high school and when I’m not fighting or in training camp I’m at home where I have two young sons.
Finally, Frankie, would you be pushing to be on the card when MMA is finally sanctioned in New York for an event at Madison Square Garden?
Of course that would be massive for me. I grew up in New Jersey and I’ve been going to the city all my life. I train in the city two to three times a week and New York City is like a second home to me. Madison Square Garden is known as one of the world’s most famous arenas for fights and has all that mystique going right back to the likes of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fighting there. It would be an amazing experience to be involved in such an event.
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