UFC 218 just took a hit. Combate reported that Frankie Edgar is out of the Dec. 2 featherweight championship bout due to a facial injury. The champion, Max Holloway, is adamant about remaining on the card.
“Detroit, you guys are a bunch of tough mfers,” he wrote on an Instagram post. “You guys deserve the best fight card of the year and you’re still gonna get it. I’m fighting no matter what.”
Without further ado, here are four potential opponents for “Blessed.”
Jose Aldo
Aldo lost his featherweight belt in his last bout against Holloway back in June at UFC 212. He may get a chance to reclaim it in his next fight. Aldo is currently slated to fight Ricardo Lamas in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 26 on Dec. 16, but there’s always a chance the UFC gives the legend an immediate rematch. Aldo lost the back-and-forth contest via TKO in the third round.
Hey @BlessedMMA,I want my title back. I deserve the rematch. Let’s make this happen @ufc
— Jose Aldo Junior (@josealdojunior) November 9, 2017
Ricardo Lamas
Lamas is another man who Holloway defeated that’s chomping at the bit for a rematch. The two fought in June 2016. The last 10 seconds of the bout saw one of the wildest moments in MMA history when Holloway challenged Lamas to stand and bang. The two threw everything they had at one another and made it to the bell, with Holloway picking up the unanimous decision. If there’s a chance we could get a repeat of that for the championship, who could complain? Lamas submitted both Charles Oliveira and Jason Knight in his two fights since losing to Holloway.
I’m down. 🤷🏻♂️ 👇 #ufc218
— Ricardo Lamas (@RicardoLamasMMA) November 8, 2017
Cub Swanson
If this fight came to fruition, it would also be a rematch. In April 2015, Holloway submitted Swanson at UFC on FOX 15. In the two-and-a-half years since, Holloway has gone 5-0 and won two title fights. Swanson has gone 4-0, and had a Fight of the Year candidate against Doo Ho Choi at UFC 206, which happens to be the same card Holloway beat Anthony Pettis for the interim featherweight title. Swanson is set to clash with Brian Ortega in the main event of UFC Fight Night 123 on Dec. 9. Surely, it would be no problem for Swanson to fight one week sooner if the UFC so desired.
#UFC218 pic.twitter.com/UMtfK22xno
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) November 8, 2017
Brian Ortega
Speaking of men who’d have to fight one week sooner. The other half the aforementioned main event with Swanson, Ortega is a bit of a dark horse in the running for the title shot. He has one thing the others don’t, though. An undefeated record. At 12-0, Ortega has finished all four of his UFC wins against guys like Clay Guida and Renato Carneiro. The only thing that would hurt Ortega is that he hasn’t fought nearly the caliber of opposition that the others have. But there’s one more thing Ortega doesn’t have that many others at 145 do: a loss to Holloway.
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