Frankie Edgar was in no condition to take a fight against Conor McGregor this weekend.
The UFC featherweight contender had been canvassing loudly to challenge McGregor for the 145lb title after the Dubliner’s stunning win over Jose Aldo in December, but was left out of the picture by McGregor’s decision to move up to lightweight to fight Rafael dos Anjos for a second belt.
But when RDA was forced to pull out, Edgar was among the first names contacted to jump into the UFC 196 main event in Las Vegas this Saturday.
However, Edgar was unable to take the fight at short notice through injury, leaving the path open for McGregor’s new opponent Nate Diaz, and the Answer has revealed just how seriously hurt he is.
“Just the situation that came about last week where RDA got hurt, I missed that opportunity because I’m banged up myself,” Edgar told the MMA Hour.
“I’m just a bit upset about how it originally went down, how the news was shared, but I’ve since calmed down. It is what it is, I’m hurt and that’s the bottom line. I couldn’t take this fight.
“About four weeks ago, I tore my abductor tendon, my groin and a couple of muscles. I’ve been having some issues with that area for a while. I actually had two epidurals for it, but that was just from overuse and inflammation in the area and this time something finally tore, it popped I hurt it.
“The first week I was having a hard time sitting on the toilet, but it got better. I have to stay doing something or I’ll go crazy. I was just doing what I can. I can’t roll, I can’t wrestle, I can’t spar. I can hit mitts a little bit and I can lift weights. To be honest, I’m just kind of surprised on how long it’s keeping me out. I thought I’d be well more ahead of where I am now, but it’s the way it goes.”
Edgar has been hankering to fight McGregor for a while, and he admitted the opportunity to fight the Notorious was almost too tempting, despite his current condition.
“I would have (taken the fight). I almost though of taking it now, but luckily I didn’t. I’m not in shape to be fighting or even training, to be honest. If I was even half healthy, I would have taken that fight.
“I was upset, man. I was waiting for this opportunity, here it comes and I can’t take it. I want to fight for the title, but to get the chance to fight Conor is second best, for a few reasons.
“Number one, I think I’d beat him. Obviously it comes with a lot of fans watching and I’d make some more money and I think a win over him at 155 would have definitely given me the title shot at 45.”
