UFC Busan breakdown: Can Frankie Edgar overcome the odds once again?

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the UFC on ESPN+ 23 headliner between former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and all-action fighter Chan Sung Jung.

Point of interest: Odds and opinions

Chan Sung Jung

The oddsmakers and public seem to be favoring the self-proclaimed zombie, listing Jung -180 and Edgar +158 as of this writing.

Considering that this is a short-notice affair, I can completely understand Edgar coming in as the betting underdog. If this were a full camp, then perhaps it would be a whole lot easier making a case for Edgar to put on a vintage performance against a dangerous foe – fighting smart and mixing things up en route to victory.

Still, as much as I’m a fan of watching Edgar fight, it’s hard to deny that he’s entered the advanced stages of his career.

Now, does that mean he can’t with this fight? Or that he’s no good? Of course not.

However, as a fighter who was amidst making a late-career drop in weight before stepping in on late notice halfway across the world, it’s hard to like Edgar’s chances, particularly against this opponent. As we’ve seen in fights with Ortega and Max Holloway, Edgar’s propensity to dip and change levels seems to be getting picked up on, which, in turn, is opening him up to unkind counters and uppercuts.

I basically think fight going similar to Jung’s battle with Dennis Bermudez, as I see the South Korean sparking off a finish from an uppercut in a somewhat abrupt fashion early.

Prediction: Jung inside the distance