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Edgar aims to challenge Holloway upon return from injury in March or April

Jerome Miron / USA TODAY Sports

Frankie Edgar has put the wheels back in motion for his third shot at featherweight gold.

After pulling out of his UFC 218 bout with reigning champ Max Holloway just a few weeks prior with a broken orbital bone suffered in sparring, the 36-year-old told MMAjunkie's John Morgan he aims to resume regular training in two weeks and challenge Holloway in either March or April following the conclusion of Saturday's UFC Fight Night 123 in Fresno, Calif. - where teammate Marlon Moraes had faced Aljamain Sterling.

"I think it’s the fight that makes most sense," Edgar said. "We haven’t fought. He’s kind of running through everybody. Let’s me and him get it done. We had a plan. I know the fans want to see it. I’m pretty sure Max wants to fight me, so let’s make it happen."

Luckily, both UFC president Dana White and fellow contender Brian Ortega - who submitted Cub Swanson in the bill's headliner - agreed Edgar remains Holloway's challenger-in-waiting when speaking to the media postfight.

As for the injury - one that recently drew White's ire - the New Jersey native maintained that emerging from a sparring session unscathed is no easy feat when preparing for a striker of Holloway's caliber.

"You got to crack eggs to make an omelet sometimes, unfortunately," Edgar said. "I’ve been in this game for a long time. That’s never happened. Nothing crazy, I wasn’t being negligent, just sparring. To get ready for a guy like Max Holloway you’ve got to spar decent. Four weeks, I wish I could go back and maybe change things, but it’s just the way it goes.

"I think it was a freak accident. It’s tough to not take hits. I’m training for a fight, have guys punching and kicking at me. It was really a freak accident. I’m really not anticipating something like that to happen again."

Edgar most recently halted the Yair Rodriguez hype train with a dominant showing that ended in a second-round TKO at UFC 211 this past May.

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