Now that UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar has finally erased Gray Maynard from the 155-pound title picture, it's time to find "The Answer" to the biggest question following the UFC 136 pay-per-view event: Who's next?
It certainly isn't Melvin Guillard.
That's because the "Young Assassin" expected to shoot down the threat of Joe Lauzon with relative ease -- until his unindustrious offense earned him a one-way ticket to Tapsville via the "J-Lau" express.
Jim Miller and Anthony Pettis are still working their way back into contention, Gilbert Melendez remains chained to the Strikeforce doghouse and Ben Henderson and Clay Guida have yet to settle their differences.
So why not just drop to featherweight and take on 145-pound champion Jose Aldo? According to UFC President Dana White (via USA Today), it's the fight he wants to see.
"I don't know [who fights him next]. Honestly? I'd like to see him move to 145 and fight Aldo. Who knows? I'm not going to make him do it. How do you make a guy who's been so dominant at that weight class -- who am I to say, you can't stay here? You beat everybody in this division, it's a tough argument to have with him ... Frankie Edgar has proven himself again and again ... I just think that Frankie's a 145-pounder walking through 155-pound guys. So when you really look at what pound-for-pound means, Frankie Edgar's pound-for-pound. He's the man."
Frankie Edgar vs Jose Aldo?
At first glance, it may sound like just another fantasy match-up between two dominant champions, that despite all the lip service, we know we'll never see. Yes, I'm talking to you Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva.
Aldo still has some work to do at 145-pounds, as Chad Mendes has been patiently waiting for his crack at the crown. But if "Junior" is "Money" in his next title defense, he would almost certainly entertain the notion of challenging Edgar.
He even called it his "dream fight" just last year.
The lightweight division has more than enough talent to keep Edgar busy well into 2012, but after compiling wins over Jim Miller, B.J. Penn and now Gray Maynard, I don't think anyone would feel slighted to see him head south for the winter.
And he's already contemplated the ten pound drop, and the trade-off between speed and size.
So how about it fight fans? Is this a bout that interests you? Is Frankie Edgar fighting above his natural weight class? If so, does that make his accomplishments at 155-pounds even more impressive?
Opinions, please.
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