Holloway, Edgar trade barbs ahead of rebooked title fight
Max Holloway has questions for the man known as "The Answer," and Frankie Edgar is happy to oblige.
The pair of top featherweights traded some playful shots Tuesday, shortly after their title bout was rebooked to headline UFC 222 in March. Holloway - the defending champ - drew first blood when speaking to FloCombat's Duane Finley, voicing his designs on earning the W for his native Hawaii opposite the 36-year-old Edgar, who owns three victories over native son and Hall of Famer BJ Penn.
"There's a lot of history between (Edgar) and Hawaiian fighters," Holloway said. "I'm going out there to bring one back home, and hopefully next time the UFC will bring my ass all the way back home. Fighting out in the ninth island of Las Vegas is nice, but I want to fight in Hawaii. First thing is first, and 'The Answer' is back up, and I got questions for the man. Let's see if he can answer them for me."
Edgar - who pulled out of their first date at UFC 218 after breaking his orbital bone in training - didn't put much stock in his trilogy with Penn, but he cleverly responded to Holloway's spin on his nickname with some wordplay of his own.
"BJ Penn and I have history, but (Max) is just another opponent, man," Edgar told Finley. "He could be from Wyoming for all I care. It doesn't matter to me. I know he's a very tough competitor and he's the champion. He's been proving his worth as the champion and that's going to make it all the more better when I go and get that belt from him.
"If he has questions he's coming to the right guy for the answers. I'm like Jeopardy: What is ... I'm gonna whoop that ass. That's the answer he's coming to find."
Holloway became the undisputed champion and defended the throne last year with a pair of stoppage victories over Jose Aldo - the only man to have bested Edgar at 145 pounds - but the perennial underdog was quick to point out "MMA math doesn't always work that way" in rebuttal to those deeming him an already defeated man because of his track record against the Brazilian.
With a lightweight crown already sitting in his trophy case, Edgar now looks to become the fifth two-division champion in UFC history when he challenges Holloway on March 3 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.