If Frankie Edgar went straight from the second Benson loss to bantamweight would he have been champ?

[HootyMcBoob]

Renan Barao would have been champion.
I think Frankie would have mixed things up and worked him over. He would have been 2 div champ imo.

What say you?

 

[chinarice]

100 percent Edgar would have worked Barao

 

[King of Fists]

Barao was kind of like a mini Aldo, both were bad matchups for Frankie by being better kickboxers with elite TDD, although obviously Aldo was better overall. I'd give Frankie less than 50% chance of winning that. Possible, but not likely.

Aldo put on an absolute clinic vs Frankie, Barao likely does similar.

 

[Sakurabaism]

Man, I don't know. Pre-TJ Renan was an absolute killer; ran on a different kind of engine.

 

[Gracious Warrior]

Nobody drops down two weight classes in one shot.

If Franki

Barao was kind of like a mini Aldo, both were bad matchups for Frankie by being better kickboxers with elite TDD, although obviously Aldo was better overall. I'd give Frankie less than 50% chance of winning that. Possible, but not likely.

Aldo put on an absolute clinic vs Frankie, Barao likely does similar.

Exactly. Plus Barao would have had the benefit of being coached by Pedenieras who studied Edgar very closely in preparing Jose Aldo.

 

[heavyarms21]

Frankie had had a lot of good performances left after the Benson fights, but that would have been a huge cut right off the rip. I'd bd worried he would have been depleted like TJ was when he fought Cejudo , also Cejudo is an overall better fighter, pre-TJ Barao had a style that could frustrate an Edgar fighting at 135 for the 1st time.

 

[JustBleed69]

Renan Barao would have been champion.
I think Frankie would have mixed things up and worked him over. He would have been 2 div champ imo.

What say you?

Edgar would have probably beaten Barao.

Also, Edgar clearly beat Benson in that second fight and im still bitter about it. He arguably beat him the first time as well, but it was at least close.

 

[BluntForceTrama]

Does prime Frankie swim in the same pool as the prime elite class now? hmmmm debateable


qctually prime Frankie could take punches and was dauntingly aggressiv.

 

[FreddieRoachsVoice]

He wouldn't have been able to make weight IMO but yes I think he would have beaten Barao. LOL @ people comparing Barao's takedown defense to Aldo's. Aldo has the best takedown defense ever for a non wrestler and is a horrible style match-up for Frankie.

Also, Frankie beat Benson both times IMHO (1st one close, 2nd one decisively)

 

[Bork Neslar]

Maybe.

 

[Franklin U.]

The problem with that is that most thought Edgar won the second fight vs Benson so it's just one of those things that him making that move is not even on the table .

Especially for a guy who took pride ( and kept his body healthy) in being able to fight in a class not to far from his walk around.

Too many variables involved and, again, arguably won that fight so ??

 

[pankrat]

I do think so. The fact he arguably beat the much bigger Ben Henderson twice is mind blowing

 

[jitzmonkey]

Too much weight too quickly wouldn't have been good unless he went through a few mock training camps with cuts; then maybe.

 

[Taric]

The weight adjustment would have been difficult in such a short window. His cardio, the most important aspect of his game, would have been fucked.

 

[VinceArch]

I think he would've if he knew ahead of time. If he came in short notice I think his chances would be slim.

 

[welcometohavoc]

Renan Barao would have been champion.
I think Frankie would have mixed things up and worked him over. He would have been 2 div champ imo.

What say you?

100%

Even today if Edgar's chin wasn't shot he would be a title contender

There's alot of what ifs along these lines. How many guys would have had great careers if smaller weight classes had existed from the start. Alot of LW's in the mid 2000's should have never been fighting at LW

 

[pankrat]

Would Kid Yamamoto in his prime have been three division champion? Maybe four (FLW-BW-FW-LW)?

 

[Ace70 V2]

I don't think he would have beaten Barao.

 

[chinarice]

Would Kid Yamamoto in his prime have been three division champion? Maybe four (FLW-BW-FW-LW)?

Highly unlikely, especially if he was fighting in the UFC and not in Japan.

 

[pankrat]

Highly unlikely, especially if he was fighting in the UFC and not in Japan.

Yeah, I was basically trolling.

Just for the record, Kid won a LW tournament in Japan and also beat (was on his way to beat until a groin kick) former SF LW champ Thomson.

Regardless, Yamamoto and Frankie are two of the greatest weight climbers ever in MMA.