Max Holloway may have cemented himself as the featherweight GOAT with his definitive thrashing of Brian Ortega at UFC 231 to retain his title. It was a statement that he and he alone rules over the division and that it’s going to take the next GOAT to dethrone him.

Names for an opponent have been tossed around including Conor McGregor which would give Max a chance to avenge that loss. The odds of the Irishman returning to featherweight are very slim after competing at lightweight and welterweight since leaving the division. Ortega was seen as the greatest threat to Holloway’s win streak but now that he’s out of the way who’s left?

Former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar has thrown his name in to the mix. The issue there is that even though he is 8-3 in the division since his debut he has gone 3-2 in his last five with losses to Jose Aldo and Ortega meaning he has lost to both of Max Holloway’s last two opponents. He’s a name but does he deserve it? Who are we kidding. Ratings are more of a sales pitch in the UFC and a cool number to make the fighters seem like a bigger deal.

Here’s what Edgar said to Ariel Helwani in his attempt to be next in line (via MMAmania).

I already rang Dana up and he said we are going to talk. I had that title shot, it was mine, and then Max got hurt, it happens. And on two weeks notice I just said throw anybody in there. I want to fight. Things didn’t go my way, obviously, I got caught with that shot. But, I ran it back with Cub and was able to get a win. I think I am next in line and I think we should go back to that fight. I think Holloway, not that he owes me anything, but, I think we want to get that one done.

I gave my shot up, and maybe it wasn’t the best idea, but I thought I was going to win that fight and it didn’t go my way. And he said ‘we will see. If Max stays I am definitely the guy for him to fight at 145. If he goes up, who knows, I think Max wants to stay at 145 and we have unfinished business. I am not Ortega, and I am a different type of fighter than him, a different challenge for Max and I think I am the guy that can get it done.

What do you think? Can Frankie get it done?

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