Former UFC light-weight champion Frankie Edgar won’t be making his naked knuckle debut as anticipated this Saturday at BKFC 82 in Newark, New Jersey.
“The Reply” Edgar, who retired from combined martial arts competitors in 2022, was slated to face fellow former UFC and New Jersey native Jimmie Rivera on the cardboard.
As a substitute, Rivera will now face Timothy Mason in accordance with a report from NJ.com.
BKFC president David Feldman confirmed that the promotion however was hopeful the UFC legend will compete for Naked Knuckle Combating Championship sooner or later.
“After additional evaluation with our medical officer, we determined that Frankie Edgar was not going to compete this Saturday,” Feldman stated. “We’re going to look into it and see what his future seems to be like, however he won’t be competing this Saturday.”
One can solely speculate that Edgar could have put himself within the place the place each the promotion and the fee have been going to look a little bit deeper at his standing earlier than clearing him to battle. With each followers and household towards Edgar’s return to fight sports activities, consideration grew in direction of well being considerations which may stop him from being cleared.
“My spouse was a little bit involved with me doing this as effectively,” Edgar advised MMA Combating in September. “I’ve been doing this for thus lengthy, it’s powerful to stroll away. I’m not going into this naïve. I perceive the dangers. I’m prepared to take that likelihood, I assume you could possibly say. The juice has bought to be well worth the squeeze, and I really feel like it’s.
“They have been all a little bit towards it actually. I bought my spouse on board possibly. Possibly she’s not glad about it, however she ain’t going to depart me, I assume. That’s a plus. The children, my boys type of perceive it. My daughter undoubtedly isn’t too cool with it however another time and we’ll see the way it goes.”
BKFC 82 takes place on the Prudential Middle and is headlined by “Platinum” Mike Perry vs. Jeremy Stephens.
