Frankie Edgar shoots down retirement talk ahead of UFC 268: ‘I’m going to be fighting on my deathbed’

Former UFC champion Frankie Edgar is hoping to prove his doubters wrong yet again when he meets bantamweight contender Marlon Vera this weekend at UFC 268 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.

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CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to the world famous Madison Square Garden in New York City with a compelling pair of world championship rematches on Sat., Nov. 6, 2021. Headlining UFC 268’s blockbuster pay-per-view (PPV) will be Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman as he looks to defend his title once again against arch enemy and No. 1-ranked contender, Colby Covington. The co-main event will see UFC women’s Strawweight queenpin, Rose Najamunas, aim to make it two in a row against former champion and No. 1-seeded contender, Zhang Weili.

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Edgar, who turned 40 just three weeks ago, is currently in a difficult spot in his storied career. The former lightweight king has posted a less than desirable 2-4 record in his last six trips to the Octagon spanning between both the featherweight and bantamweight divisions. His last appearance came against top bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen this past February and that resulted in a massive flying knee knockout for “Sandman.” In fact, that knockout was the second suffered by Edgar in his last three fights.

While Edgar is the type of fighter to go out on his shield some have wondered if the legendary veteran is officially over the hill. Edgar doesn’t really care about those assumptions heading into UFC 268 this weekend because all he wants to do is fight. It’s that simple.

“I’m gonna be fighting on my death bed,” Edgar told reporters earlier this week.

“When I say I’mma fight on my death bed, it’s (me saying) I’m a fighter. That’s what I am. I’m always gonna fight in some way, shape or form.”

Despite his recent Octagon record and multiple knockout defeats Edgar doesn’t believe he’s close to retiring. We usually see fighters in the same situation as Edgar with one foot out the door, but “The Answer” isn’t looking to follow anyone’s mold at this point in his career.

“It’s natural to be a 40-year-old guy and people say, ‘Hey, when are you gonna hang it up?’ Or, it’s natural for your opponent to say they’re gonna retire you. Come on. It’s f—ng old stuff.”

Unsurprisingly, Edgar is still aiming to become UFC champion. The former lightweight king has fought in a plethora of title fights throughout his career and would love nothing more than a victory over Vera to spark another journey to UFC gold.

“I think all fights are fun, but achieving the gold is always the goal. That’s probably the most fun, so if I could… I think you need to have that pinnacle at the top of your list. That’s kind of what I’ve gotten into this sport for, it’s to be the best. It’s always been my mindset.

“I’m enjoying the process as I go.”

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 268 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPNEWS/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.