UFC legend Frankie Edgar, known for his resilience across three weight classes, shared insights into the fighters who landed his hardest shots throughout his career. Edgar, a former UFC Lightweight Champion who competed in lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight divisions, faced some of the toughest competition over 36 fights but highlighted an unexpected name when discussing his hardest-hitting opponents.
Despite suffering knockouts late in his career from fighters like Cory Sandhagen and Chito Vera, Edgar identified Gray Maynard as the hardest puncher he has encountered, stemming from their intense trilogy of bouts. Edgar emphasized the impact Maynard had in shaking him during their encounters, surpassing even powerful strikers like Chad Mendes and leg kick specialists such as Jose Aldo.
Gray Maynard’s punishing power stood out during their rivalry
Edgar’s rivalry with Gray Maynard was notorious for its brutality, with Maynard nearly finishing Edgar several times. The first fight in 2008 saw Maynard earn a victory, while their second bout ended in a draw after Maynard knocked Edgar down three times. Edgar eventually secured a third-fight victory by TKO in 2011 at UFC 136. Reflecting on those fights, Edgar said,
“[Hardest] puncher would probably be Gray,”
highlighting Maynard’s opening power.
He also mentioned Chad Mendes as a hard hitter but noted Mendes never landed a clean shot during their featherweight bout, which Edgar won by first-round TKO in 2015. Regarding kicks, Edgar praised Mendes’s leg strikes, saying,
“He might be up there with the hardest [kicker], actually,”
and recalled a particularly damaging leg kick Mendes landed on him:
“He got me [with] one [leg kick]. You have to counter right away. They know they hurt you. So he got me, boom, oh my God…. Like, oh, s—. He can crack…”
Edgar also pointed to Benson Henderson‘s up-kick as especially painful, recalling it as the worst knee strike he endured and addressing Aldo’s powerful kicks yet clarifying that Aldo never visibly rocked him.
Knockouts by Sandhagen and Vera marked final chapter of Edgar’s UFC career
In 2021, Cory Sandhagen delivered a crushing flying knee knockout just 28 seconds into their fight, handing Edgar one of the most devastating losses of his career. Sandhagen appeared regretful after the fight, expressing concern for the veteran competitor.
Less than a year later, Edgar faced Chito Vera at UFC 268 in Madison Square Garden, where he was again stopped via highlight-reel front kick to the face. This defeat added to a string of knockout losses in his final three UFC bouts. Edgar’s last fight was a knockout loss to Chris Gutierrez at the same venue, marking a difficult end to his decorated MMA career.
Significance of Edgar’s reflections on toughest hits and future considerations
Frankie Edgar’s revelations about the opponents who landed his hardest hits provide unique insight into the toll exacted by elite-level competition. His acknowledgment of Gray Maynard’s power over more recent knockout losses underscores the unpredictable nature of MMA strikes and the durability that helped him endure for so long.
Looking ahead, Edgar’s career serves as a benchmark for toughness and adaptability, illustrating how fighters can face significant adversity yet remain competitive across divisions. Understanding which opponents truly challenged him with their strikes helps contextualize the physical demands on athletes in the UFC and emphasizes the respect due to both victors and veterans alike in the sport’s evolving landscape.