I'm from Hawaii, and by default I'm a big BJ Penn fan. So when Frankie Edgar defeated Penn twice and took the belt from him, I've been waiting for the day, when Edgar finally was taken out via TKO/KO. The day has finally come. He just lost to Brian Ortega via KO at UFC 222. With that loss, Ortega is now the #1 contender and will fight Max Holloway in the near future.
I had a little animosity towards Edgar for years, but I never hated him. He was a nice guy in and out of the ring, and never played the heel. Always a constant professional. Like all fighters, the day will come when the years of getting punched in the head will take a toll and your brain will shut down from punches that you use to be able to shake off years ago.
I've watched several fighters career take a downhill slide after years of competition. Flash knockouts is a common sight after a long tenure in the cage. Chuck Liddel, Diego Sanchez, Grey Maynard, are all but a few fighters on the tip of the iceberg that has taken too much brain trauma. Stiff jabs can take a fighter out for a quick second, and a second is a eternity for an opponent to rain punches down on you.
Frankie is now in his mid 30s. Will this KO loss permanently affect him in the future? Only time will tell. One thing is for certain, the years of brain trauma is piling up, and no fighter can reverse those effects. We just hope that these individuals will have the courage to walk away before it gets very serious.
No shame in your game Frankie. A class act and once looked at and revered for the fighter with the most heart.
