An injury has forced Frankie Edgar to pull out of his UFC featherweight title fight against Max Holloway at UFC 218 on Dec. 2 in Detroit.
Both fighters have acknowledged the cancellation on social media. Edgar wrote on Instagram, “Hit with a minor setback but should be back to full contact in six weeks or so. Thanks to the @ufc for always having my back. Max I’ll see you down the road. #Believe”
Edgar (21-5-1, 16-5-1 UFC), a former UFC lightweight champion, was going to make his third attempt at winning the 145-pound title after losing twice to Jose Aldo.
Holloway (18-3, 14-3) knocked out Aldo in the third round to unify the UFC featherweight title in June after winning the interim title last December.
He wrote on Twitter, “injuries are part of this fight game. Frankie’s the man. Wish him a speedy recovery.”
Holloway went on to proclaim he’s fighting in Detroit anyway, although the UFC hasn’t commented on a potential replacement. Aldo, ranked as the No. 1 contender at 145 pounds, ahead of Edgar, is scheduled to fight No. 3 Ricardo Lamas. No. 4 Cub Swanson has a fight scheduled against No. 6 Brian Ortega on Dec. 9.
No. 5 Chan Sung Jung, who hasn’t fought since a win in February, is the highest ranked featherweight without a fight currently lined up.
Mililani MMA champion injured in car crash
A car accident involving ONE Championship atomweight world champion Angela Lee has forced the postponement of her Nov. 24 title defense in Singapore.
Lee, 21, was driving to her family-owned UnitedMMA gym in Waipio on Monday morning when the accident occurred.
ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong released a statement on his Facebook page.
“ONE Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee got into a terrible car accident yesterday with her car flipping over 5-6x according to the police,” Sityodtong wrote. “She was driving to her morning training at the gym when she fell asleep. Miraculously, she survived with only a concussion, some minor burns, and a banged up body. If she was not wearing a seatbelt, it would have most certainly been a different story. I saw photos of the damaged car, and it was a complete wreck. Angela will not be competing on November 24. We are all blessed and relieved that Angela will make a full recovery. Please join me in sending love, prayers, and positive energy to Angela and her family.”
Lee, a Mililani High alumna, became the first female world champion in a major organization from Hawaii in May 2016 when she defeated Mei Yamaguchi by unanimous decision.
Lee is undefeated in her professional career, with six of her eight wins coming by submission.
Yamaguchi, who is the only opponent to go the distance with Lee, was scheduled to fight in a rematch for the title on Nov. 24 at ONE: Immortal Pursuit inside Singapore Indoor Stadium.
There is no timetable for Lee’s return to the cage.
Lee and Holloway are two of three current MMA world champions from Hawaii.
Punahou alumna Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, who is also undefeated in MMA, became Bellator’s first flyweight world champion when she submitted Emily Ducote by armbar in the fifth round at Bellator 166 last Friday.
