Frankie Edgar issues statement following knockout loss at UFC 222, ready to ‘put it all on the line again’

We haven’t heard the last of Frankie Edgar.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight titleholder took a risky, short-notice fight against undefeated up-and-comer Brian Ortega at the UFC 222 pay-per-view (PPV) event last weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, after original opponent, Max Holloway, withdrew due to injury.

The decision cost him the win, as well as the next 145-pound title shot.

But that means “The Answer,” who was stopped for the first time in his storied combat sports career (highlights), will have no choice but to dust himself off and put it all on the line again, just as soon as he’s cleared to return to competition.

“Saturday did not go as planned, congrats to Ortega he definitely got me with some good ones,” Edgar wrote on social media. “Thanks to all my peers, my team, my friends, and my fans for their nice words, they don’t go unnoticed. All I can do now is dust myself off and get ready to put it all on the line again.”

Edgar got nothing but respect from Holloway (and even Conor McGregor).

As for Ortega, he’s expected to move on and challenge Holloway for the featherweight strap this summer, though that timeline could shift depending on how quickly the Hawaiian recovers from his wonky leg.

“The Answer” will no doubt take a hit in the official rankings, but he's unlikely to fall too far and a couple of big wins could've him right back in contention. See what the top five of the division looks like here.

And for more on Edgar vs. Ortega click here.