Getty Image / Chris Unger
It looks like another UFC legend is heading for retirement. A few weeks ago it was Jose Aldo who revealed that he was ready to hang up the gloves after a career that saw him firmly plant himself in the conversation for the greatest featherweight in MMA history.
Now, another legend, who Aldo took on on 2 different occasions, has revealed that we’ll soon see his last trip into the Octagon as well.
Yesterday, ESPN’s Brett Okamoto revealed that Frankie Edgar will take on Chris Gutierrez at UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden. That fight will be the last in his career.
Frankie Edgar’s UFC 281 fight at Madison Square Garden against Chris Gutierrez will be the last of his career
Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) in the Garden one last time. Edgar will face Chris Gutierrez at UFC 281 on Nov. 12. He confirmed to me it will be his last fight, “unless someone gets lippy in Seaside next summer.” It will be his 30th UFC bout. pic.twitter.com/qXPZWhARlq
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) October 6, 2022
At his peak, Frankie Edger was one of the best fighters in the world across multiple weight classes. At UFC 112, he pulled off a massive upset and took the UFC Lightweight title from BJ Penn and then dominated him in a rematch 4 months later.
He then put on a pair of all-time classic fights against Gray Maynard in his next two title defenses, fighting to a draw in the first and then knocking Maynard out in the 2nd. After those legendary fights, he lost his belt and failed to regain it in a pair of contentious decision losses to Benson Henderson.
After that, he dropped down to featherweight, the weight class many thought he belonged at even while holding the lightweight belt. He immediately fought for the belt in the weight class, but fell short against Jose Aldo.
He proceeded to run through the rest of the featherweight division, even beating current UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira, on his way to a rematch with Aldo. He once again fell short, but remained near the top of the division. He would challenge for the belt one more time, but came up short against Max Holloway.
Since then, he has gone 1-3 and now he’ll take on a promising up and comer at bantamweight in Chris Gutierrez. Gutierrez has racked up a 6-1-1 record during his time in the UFC.
After more than a decade as one of the UFC’s best fighters in multiple weight classes, it shouldn’t be long before we seen him in the Hall of Fame.