Frankie Edgar’s return to combat sports action following his UFC retirement will not be going down after all this weekend in BKFC.
Per a report from NJ.com’s Kevin Armstrong, Edgar will no longer be competing on the BKFC 82 card against fellow New Jersey native Jimmie Rivera.
The reason for Edgar’s removal is currently unknown. BKFC President David Feldman told Ariel Helwani on October 1 that there was a potential medical issue for Edgar that left his status unknown.
When the news of Edgar’s BKFC debut first came to light, many in the combat community expressed concern over the well-being of Edgar. Edgar, who will turn 44 in a couple of weeks, has not been in action since UFC 281 in November 2022.
Frankie Edgar Removed From BKFC Debut Days Before BKFC 82
Armstrong reports that in order to cleared for the BKFC event, Edgar had to undergo an echocardiogram, stress test, and eye examination, as well as a bloodwork panel, EKG, and MRI.
Armstrong added that Edgar’s family and friends have asked him not to return to action but Edgar reportedly felt the BKFC environment was safer because of the punching-only focus.
The UFC Hall of Famer lost five of his last six fights in the UFC, occuring between 2019 and 2022.
Rivera, a fellow UFC veteran, will remain on the card, taking on Timmy Mason.
BKFC 82 will take place on October 4 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It is the first bare-knuckle event to take place in the Garden State.
