There is an old addage: Pick on someone your own size.

Frankie “The Answer” Edgar would take offense to this.

On Saturday night, Edgar got redemption in the MMA world, knocking out Gray Maynard in the fourth round. This was the third time the two have squared off, the first fight going the way of Maynard, and the second fight, being a title fight, ending in a draw.

The only blemishes on Edgar’s record going into this third fight – the loss and the draw – were the result of Maynard.

Frankie Edgar is one tough cookie. The first time I ever saw him fight, I did not like him because he beat Tyson Griffin, one of the fighters I had high hopes for.

Since then, Edgar has also defeated many opponents he had been written off against, namely B.J. Penn, whom he knocked off to become the champion at UFC 112.

I was outraged.

I thought there was no way that he deserved the win and was looking forward to the rematch for my own personal validation of my expert opinions.

At UFC 118, Edgar once again defeated Penn in a rematch – this time in a more dominant fashion, proving it was no fluke.

At UFC 125, Edgar and Maynard locked horns for the second time.

Edgar was pummeled into a dizzy, cross-eyed stupor in the first round, but somehow managed to come back and survive the next four rounds, pushing a decision. The fight ended in a draw, with many in disbelief that Edgar even got out of the first round.

He became the first fighter to survive getting knocked down three times in a fight, let alone one round.

On Saturday night at UFC 136, Edgar received an eerily similar beating in the first round, and once again, somehow miraculously keeping his off-balance composure and making the bell to the next round.

After the first round, Edgar found a groove and seemingly took over the fight. In the fourth round, Edgar took advantage of a slip by Maynard and connected with an upper-cut that sent Maynard reeling. Edgar followed up with a chasing flurry of punches, forcing Maynard to the cage where a right hand sent him to the canvas. A few follow up punches on the ground and the fight was called, with Maynard unconscious for a few seconds.

For a fighter fighting just at his natural weight, without putting on extra weight and cutting to gain an advantage is a rare thing in itself. For that fighter to enjoy success and hold a title is another thing completely.

Frankie Edgar epitomizes the indomitable will and heart required for a fighter, and he has garnered all the respect in the world from me as a fan. I think he has earned a spot on my Facebook page under, “People Who Inspire Me”.