The MMA Daily

This may be Frankie Edgar’s last stand. The former Lightweight Champion has lost four of his last six fights, three of which he has been knocked out in. No longer carrying that lightning speed on the feet, Edgar is slowly becoming a shell of himself. I’m not ready to commit to the notion he’s done however, as Edgar at Bantamweight has always been where I believed he belonged. No longer dealing with a size disadvantage, the pride of Toms River may be able to implement more wrestling with his already solid striking. However, Marlon Vera will have a say in that. With decent takedown defense and good striking, Vera is comfortable wherever the fight goes. Even if Vera does find himself on the mat, he’s not someone who will let his opponent be comfortable in top control. Throwing up various submissions, Vera has eight submissions, two of which come via triangle choke.

As for a prediction, I have Edgar winning. While many are probably counting him out, I see this as a winnable fight. Marlon Vera is an excellent fighter and is a tough out for anyone. However, Edgar is the second best fighter to Jose Aldo that Vera has ever fought. In that Aldo fight, Vera looked very gun shy and in round three, he was controlled for the entire round. It’s almost as if the moment of fighting a legend got to him. Well here’s a second chance for Vera to prove himself. Unfortunately, Edgar throws slightly more volume than Aldo, has better cardio and has the wrestling to give Vera fits. In the end, I predict that Edgar will win via decision.