Urijah Faber vs. Frankie Edgar to Headline UFC: Manila

On May 16th former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber and former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar will meet in the main event of UFC: Manila. The long-awaited match-up has been discussed by fans and the fighters themselves for quite some time, it was even rumored that the two would coach season 19 of “The Ultimate Fighter” opposite one another and fight at the conclusion of the show. While that would not come to fruition, Edgar would instead coach season 19 of TUF and later defeat opposing coach B.J. Penn for a third time. Now, just ten months after the wrapping of the show, Edgar and Faber will finally face off.

Since their days as champions, both men have dropped down a weight class. Edgar is currently ranked number one at featherweight, while Faber is ranked third at bantamweight. It is currently being reported by Bloody Elbow that this fight will take place in the featherweight division, which Faber hasn’t competed in, in five years.

Aside from dropping down in weight classes, both Edgar and Faber have quite a few things in common. Both men have been featured in title bouts for years and both have only lost one non-title fight in their careers. Edgar fell short against Gray Maynard in 2008, while Faber’s only non-title bout loss came against Tyson Griffin a full decade ago in 2005.

Some may even consider this to be a ‘superfight,’ as Edgar and Faber are former champions and are basically the highest level of fighter you can be without being champion in their respected divisions.

Edgar is currently riding a three-fight winning streak at featherweight since falling to currently champion Jose Aldo in a closely-contested 2013 decision. Faber, on the other hand, has won his last two fights via submission since suffering his second loss to former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao at UFC 169.

The official bout announcement will be made on Thursday morning in Manila.