Frankie Edgar (21-4-1) fought Jose Aldo for the Featherweight title and lost in his divisional debut. Now, after five straight wins since that setback, he could be getting another shot to capture the 145-pound belt.
Edgar, 34, knocked out Chad Mendes (17-4) with a brutal left hook (watch video highlights here) to win the main event of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 22 Finale last night (Fri., Dec. 11, 2015) inside "The Chelsea" at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada.
And immediately afterward he let it be known he should be next in line.
"Three finishes in my last five fights," Edgar told Jon Anik during the post-fight interview. "The Answer," then chided UFC president Dana White, who wasn't cage side after his win. "I don't know why Dana is not here," he said. "I guess he didn't want to see … He knows he didn't' want to disappoint me. Come on, you got to give it to me."
Along with the knockout of Mendes, the former UFC Lightweight champion has finished Cub Swanson and B.J. Penn on his current five-fight win streak. He also has unanimous decision wins over Urijah Faber and Charles Oliveira.
In a post-fight interview with Ariel Helwani on the FOX Sports 1 post-fight show, a beaming Edgar said what he said in the Octagon about White was "all love" and that when he spoke with UFC's president he was told he's next in line for a title shot.
"I just got out of the room with Dana and I got good news," Edgar said. "He says I got it."
Edgar, who lost a unanimous decision to Aldo back at UFC 156 in 2013, was quick to acknowledge that nothing is guaranteed and things are always subject to change in the UFC.
"I mean ... Nothing is in stone," he chuckled. "I know this business. He seemed pretty happy. I walked out of there even happier, so yeah, I think we are in the right direction."
Aldo looks to defend his title for the eighth straight time versus Conor McGregor at UFC 194 later night (Sat., Dec. 12, 2015). And Edgar -- who will likely be sitting cageside "mic'd up" -- says it doesn't matter who wins the championship unification match ... he just wants the belt.
"I don't care man -- it's the belt," he said. "I originally said I wanted to be the guy to take it from Aldo, especially since I had a tight, tight loss to him. McGregor is a big money fight, so I feel like I can't go wrong either way."
White confirmed what Edgar said with Helwani later on in the post-fight show.
"When Frankie came downstairs, I said, 'nobody can deny you now. Not me. Not nobody," White said. "Everybody believes they are ready for the title shot and they deserve it and Frankie is one of those guys. Frankie really, really, solidified himself tonight as the guy."