Dana White: Frankie Edgar also turned down Conor McGregor fight, due to injury
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}AUSTIN, TX - NOVEMBER 22: Frankie Edgar prepares to enter the arene before his featherweight fight against Cub Swanson during the UFC Fight Night event at The Frank Erwin Center on November 22, 2014 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 17: Conor McGregor enters the arena before his UFC featherweight bout against Max Holloway at TD Garden on August 17, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The UFC is scrambling to find an opponent for Conor McGregor after his UFC 196 headlining opponent -- lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos -- pulled out with a broken foot. McGregor reportedly still wants to fight at UFC 196, and his promoters no-doubt want to take advantage of his marketability and gameness.
According to Jose Aldo's manager and coach, the former champion was offered a rematch with McGregor but they wisely turned it down. Kevin Iole reports that UFC president Dana White also made former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar the bout.
"White said the UFC offered the fight to Frankie Edgar and that Edgar turned it down, citing an injury," he wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The irony here is that Edgar is the number one featherweight title contender and believes that he should have already been next to face McGregor. The reason that didn't happen?
Well, McGregor decided to move up in weight to challenge for the lightweight strap. Now that dos Anjos is out, Edgar got the call, but is too hurt to safely fight.
The gutsy fighter's luck doesn't seem to be getting any better in 2016 than it was in the past year when he was repeatedly passed over for a featherweight title fight, despite a long winning streak.