Aldo vs. Edgar: Why Frankie Edgar Is Poised for Upset at UFC 156

When Frankie Edgar (15-3-1) and Jose Aldo (21-1-0) step into the ring on Saturday night, Edgar will be looking to become the third fighter in UFC history to win a championship in two different divisions.

Edgar will drop down to the 145-pound division for the UFC 156 card, where a lot of experts are pegging Aldo as the favorite to win.

I, on the other hand, disagree.

While Aldo has won his last 14 fights—highlighted by a first-round knockout of Chad Mendes in his most recent bout—Edgar enters this match in better shape.

Aldo missed basically all of last year, partly because of a foot injury that occurred in a motorcycle accident. He hasn't fought since Jan. 14, 2012.

In a sport where consistent training and competition are a must, this gives Edgar an edge heading into Saturday's fight.

Also going for Edgar is his extensive background as a successful wrestler at Toms River High School East and Clarion University of Pennsylvania.

Often dubbed as the underdog entering most of his fights, Edgar again enters this fight as an underdog following a split-decision loss to Benson Henderson on Aug. 11.

Despite being the underdog, Edgar is both strong and fast enough to give Aldo one of the best fights of his career. ESPN Stats & Info gives us some inside numbers on Edgar.

Edgar averages 8.9 takedown attempts per fight while opponents are landing just 28 percent of their strikes against the Jersey native.

The 31-year-old fighter is used to fighting with the pressure on, since his last six fights have come with a title on the line.

There's no doubting Aldo's ability as a fighter—he's defended 95 percent of takedowns during his career—but Edgar isn't phased by the underdog tag and enters this fight more battle-tested and conditioned than Aldo.

As one of the most underrated and unappreciated fighters in the UFC, look for the Answer to make history at UFC 156.

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