Edgar isn't sure where he got the nickname "The Answer."
MMAMADNESS: How have you felt after your back surgery?
FRANKIE EDGAR: I felt good a year after I had the surgery. I had a discectomy or something like that. They cut a herniation out.
MM: How did you come into mixed martial arts?
FE: Just competing as a wrestler, just looking to further my career. Started training, watching The Ultimate Fighter, felt that if I tried it out I’d be good at it.
MM: What’s the best part of being a UFC fighter?
FE: The best part is that I get to work out for a living. It’s the best job in the world. I never feel like I’m working.
MM: Who did you look up to in the sport?
FE: To be honest with you, there are fighters that you like watching that are entertaining. Coming in, guys like Georges St. Pierre, guys that most people would say. But the people I look up to? Just my teammates. They help me get where I’m going.
MM: When you’re not fighting or training, what else do you like to do?
FE: I just had a son, so pretty much hanging out with him. He’s eight months old. Nothing crazy.
MM: How did you get nicknamed ‘the Answer?’
FE: A teammate, my training partner gave it to me. I think he just wanted it to go with Edgar, something like that. It stuck.
MM: I was expecting a more elaborate reason.
FE: Ya, we really don’t know how it came about. I’m trying to figure out something that sounds good, but I haven’t yet.
MM: What is the fight scene like up in New Jersey?
FE: It’s growing. The fans or the people aren’t as knowledgeable as the people in like California and out west, but it’s definitely growing out here and a lot more people are getting interested.
MM: Do you have a dream opponent or a dream place that you would like to fight?
FE: I fought in Jersey, and that was sick. I think the Garden would be great. A lot of my family and friends would be able to go there, it’s close enough. It’s the world’s most famous arena so something there would be pretty dope.
MM: Are there any athletes not in mixed martial arts that you looked up to growing up?
FE: I don’t know if I was a frontrunner, but i would say Michael Jordan. It’s kind of hard not to. I wasn’t into sports so much as far as like following a team.
MM: So you’re not a big Nets fan?
FE: Nah, not really. I just like watching certain players, I don’t really follow teams. I’m a Yankees fan, Giants fan, nothing other than that.
MM: You did True Life on MTV. Do people recognize you from it?
FE: Not really. I think more people notice me from the UFC than they do that show. I think some family and friends would say, ‘wow, MTV,’ but I don’t think I get recognized from the show too much.
MM: What’s the best part of meeting fans?
FE: Just to see their passion. They have passion in the sport like I have passion in fighting. I think it’s pretty cool. The UFC fans are definitely passionate fans.
