UFC 200 is almost upon us and is headlined by the light-heavyweight championship match between Daniel Cormier and Jon ‘Bones’ Jones, while Brock Lesnar’s return to the Octagon from WWE is sure to grab many eyeballs. And Frankie Edgar has a huge clash with Jose Aldo as they fight for the interim featherweight title, the winner getting a guaranteed shot at Connor McGregor’s belt.

We have to wait to find out whether Frankie ‘The Answer’ Edgar wins or not, but let’s have a look at some facts about the veteran fighter which are not known by many.

#5 His Ancestors are mostly Italian

Although he is a proud American, Frankie Edgar is mostly of Italian descent. His mother is an Italian and his step father who raised him is Italian, too. His name Frankie suggests an Italian lineage to it.

However, his biological father has German ancestors. His non-Italian surname Edgar reflects that.

In an interview. Edgar said,”I am mostly Italian even though I don’t have the Italian last name. My grandfather is Italian. My mother is Italian. My stepdad is 100 percent Italian and he’s the one who raised me. My parents owned a pizzeria when I was growing up. So I’m mostly Italian but also have some German in me.”

#4 He holds unique records in the UFC

Edgar is the only fighter in UFC history to be knocked down thrice in a single round and not lose a fight. It occurred in the fight against Gray Maynard at UFC 125.
From 2008 to 2015, Frankie has fought only twice a year, every year.
Of his last 12 fights, 11 have been main events.
He was given coaching exposure in The Ultimate Fighter. The season scored poorly, gathering record low ratings.

#3 When his coach’s Instagram post shocked the world....almost

Edgar’s longtime coach Mark Henry sent shockwaves throughout the MMA world when he posted on the micro-blogging site on July 4th. It appeared to be an apology to the fans of the sport. It claimed that Frankie was tested positive for some substances in his blood.

A first look at the tweet was enough to cause havoc amongst the fans. However, the whole post was nothing less than a harmless joke.

“Apologize to fans UFC 200 EDGAR vs ALDO fight MIGHT be OFF @frankieedgar was tested today by USADA and tested positive!!

Substances found in blood – TOUGHNESS-SPEED-RESILIENCE-POWER-GRIT-HEART-DETERMINATION & IRON. Sorry again.”

Well, as unforgiving as the sport may be, it’s refreshing to note that the fighters and their coaches have a sense of humour after all.

#2 His favourite food is Pizza

Frankie Edgar is a great fighter who has enjoyed great success despite being tremendously undersized for his weight class. And unlike many professional fighters, he has a penchant for junk food.

Two of his favourite foods are pizza and pasta. He admitted that he eats them whenever he is hungry, instead of depriving himself on account of diet.

In an interview, he confessed his love for the pizza.

“I’m from Jersey, so pizza is my favourite food. My boxing coach, Mark Henry, own’s Pino’s Pizza in Woodbridge. It’s some of the best pizza in Jersey. My favourite is called ‘Upside Down Pizza’. It has cheese on the bottom and sauce on top on a thin crust.

I don’t get to eat it often, though. Luckily I live an hour away from Woodbridge.”

#1 He met his wife when he was a child

Apart from being the hardcore fighter he is, Frankie Edgar is a true romantic and his story can inspire many.

He met his future wife, Renee, when they were in kindergarten. Their friendship soon blossomed into love, and after years down the line, they finally tied the knot. The couple even used their kindergarten class photo as their wedding invitation. That is adorable.

Frankie and Renee are happily married, and the couple has two sons, Santino James and Francesco.