"The Answer" needs a career reviving win

Three consecutive title fights. Three straight loses.
Dropping back-to-back-to-back fights in the UFC generally leads to the unemployment line, but former UFC Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar is obviously an exception given that his loses were all to current champions. This is exactly why Edgar finds himself precarious situation when he makes his way to the Octagon at UFC 162.
Frankie doesn't come off as the kind of guy who is content to simply be a high-level gatekeeper, so his fight with Charles Oliveira has some serious implications for the future of his UFC career. If Edgar comes out guns blazing and demolishes Oliveira, what does that mean for him? Back to title contention against a man he was defeated by not even five months ago? It's not like he's better off jumping back up to 155lbs, as the UFC Lightweight champ Benson Henderson was responsible for two of those last three loses as well.
"The Answer" clearly can still hang with the big boys and would give Aldo or Henderson fits on any given day, but much like Urijah Faber, after multiple failed attempts to win back the strap he has to do even more than before to secure another shot. Oliveira, who is no slouch in his own right, is a good test for Edgar before jumping back in with the sharks at 145lbs.
Edgar's career hangs in a delicate balance going into UFC 162, but it seems as though he's keeping his eye on the ball and respecting the skills that Oliveira brings to the table.
One way or another, let's just hope that Edgar doesn't end up being part of a controversial decision again. Unless it ends up resulting in a fight that even remotely resembles Edgar vs Maynard III. That fight was AWESOME.
Oh, I can watch the full fight right here on this very page?
Nice.
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