Frankie Edgar, BJ Penn Selected as TUF 19 Coaches, Will Fight at Featherweight

Source: MMAJunkie



The UFC's pound-for-pound king of rematches will takes part in another career trilogy.

UFC officials today announced that former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar will face for a third time former dual-division title holder B.J. Penn in a featherweight showdown.

The matchup, which was revealed on Wednesday's new edition of "UFC Tonight," is scheduled to take place after the two serve as coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter 19," which debuts in January. Edgar and Penn are expected to fight at an as-yet-undetermined event.

Edgar and Penn (16-9-2 MMA, 12-5-1 UFC) met twice in 2010, with "The Answer" victorious over "The Prodigy" in both contests. At UFC 112, Edgar claimed the UFC lightweight title. He then defended the belt four months later at UFC 118. Both results came via unanimous decision.

UFC President Dana White said he booked the fight after Penn informed him he had a burning to desire to avenge his two losses to Edgar.

"He says, 'I can beat Frankie Edgar,'" White said. "The two first fights were BS. I want that fight agin. I want to beat this guy so bad. It's all I want."

Edgar, of course, fought as a lightweight for the majority of his career. However, he made the drop to 145 pounds earlier this year for a failed bit to unseat champ Jose Aldo. In July, he bounced back with a win over Charles Oliveira.

Meanwhile, Penn is a former titleholder at both 170 and 155 pounds. However, the fight with Edgar would mark his first at featherweight, and if he could find a way to make a championship run, he could become the first fighter in UFC history to earn titles in three different weight classes.

Penn previously served as a coach on "The Ultimate Fighter 5," which aired in 2007. "The Ultimate Fighter 19" is expected to feature light heavyweight and middleweight UFC hopefuls. Filming begins in Las Vegas in mid-October.

For more on the UFC's upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Frankie Edgar)

Well, this announcement came out of nowhere. I'm actually intrigued by this move.

Hopefully trying to make 145 will make BJ do more cardio.

He was 168 at chubby as hell @ ww. He can make FW.

Personally thought he should have won the first fight.

FW is becoming one of the deepest divisions.

I'm a huge bj fan I agree thought he won the 1st fight but I hope fw doesn't leave him sucked up and dry.

Bj cardio hasn't been great and forcing to dehydrate more might not be a great move but I really hope he beats Edgar.

He was definitely robbed in the first fight, but he looked so bad in the second, and took two huge beatings against Rory & Diaz. Hard to see BJ winning this one.

I really can't see BJ making 145...

wekka wrote:I really can't see BJ making 145...

His head on that body is going to look mad funny.

Why they keep putting out new seasons of this warm garbage amazes me

BJ should stay retired, Edgar is much faster and keeps improving. This third fight will be exactly like the second fight

Bj and Edgar are atleast legit coaches both former champs any word on what weight or weights will be the focus of this next season.

Fingers crossed its heavys or light heavys.

Trilogy finished at FW.  Cool to see BJ back.

Pointless trilogy, imo. Should've been Penn vs Hioki and Mendes and Edgar for TUF.

This season will have middleweights and light heavyweights. Really need a true flyweight season afterwards.

^Glad to see they will have LHW TUF.  They should do FLW and HW next (the top and bottom of the weight classes).

Penn is close-to-shot these days. Edgar by domination.

terrible imo

Penn is working with Jose Aldo for the Edgar fight ......

Very interesting.

War bj if he really is as serious as he says on his blogs this fight will clown the first 2.

Aldo can really elevate bj

I Kno bj worked with Matt Hughes and really didn't show any of it I feel Aldo is more bj style great standing great on the ground focusing more on bjj.

Already added to tuf finale along with bj vs Edgar

Joseph benavidez meets Demetrius Johnson


http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/09/joseph-benavidez-meets-ufc-flyweight-champ-demetrious-johnson-at-tuf-18-finale

Edit this fight is apart of the rousey vs Tate season finale oh well now I got a reason to watch it

"instert motivated bj penn joke here"

UFC is out of ideas.