Penick's Take
PENICK: Widespread respect for UFC Lightweight Champ Frankie Edgar more than overdue after UFC 136 performance
Oct 9, 2011 - 9:30:52 PM PENICK: Widespread respect for UFC Lightweight Champ Frankie Edgar more than overdue after UFC 136 performance

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar has struggled with getting the respect of the MMA world on a widespread basis throughout his career, but after an epic comeback performance against Gray Maynard at UFC 136 it's more than past time for him to get his due.

Edgar made his way up the ranks very much under the radar. While he scored impressive victories over Tyson Griffin, Mark Bocek, and Spencer Fisher in his first year with the UFC back in 2007, he didn't exactly light the division on fire. Then he lost for the first, and to date only, time in his first bout with Maynard to kick off 2008.

However, he bounced back with a win over Hermes Franca that earned him a shot at Sean Sherk, a shot that began to show just what type of potential there was in the New Jersey native.

His three round performance against Sherk was really the first time his boxing skills began to gain notice. He displayed excellent foot work, popping in and out with his strikes and keeping Sherk completely off his game for the entire 15 minute fight. He then dominated Matt Veach in his most impressive performance at the time, securing a rear naked choke win to punch his ticket to a title shot at B.J. Penn.

Edgar wasn't expected to beat Penn at UFC 112. There was no reason to believe that Edgar, despite showing some marked improvement over the previous year, had the tools to stop the man who had dominated the lightweight division for some time.

But Edgar hung with him for 25 minutes, flustering Penn with his speed and ability to get in and out with strikes. Though many felt he didn't do enough to take the fight, and felt Penn got robbed by the decision, Edgar still captured the belt and was forced to prove himself worthy in an immediate rematch.

Edgar more than accomplished that in their rematch last August, employing a similar gameplan to the first fight but to much greater effect, leaving no doubt he was the better fighter on that night at UFC 118.

That win set up the rematch with Maynard at UFC 125, and after Edgar displayed tremendous heart to make it to a draw in that fight, the UFC once again forced him to prove himself the better fighter than his opponent with the immediate rematch.

Saturday's fight began in almost identical fashion to their UFC 125 fight. Edgar set the pace early with his striking game, landing combinations and backing away from Maynard's counters, but then Maynard connected on an uppercut that hurt Edgar and began the assault. He had Edgar bloodied and on rubber legs, hitting him with big shots all across the cage as he chased him down.

Maynard stayed more patient than in the last fight, however, and appeared to have more energy to take the fight over after Edgar survived.

Then he failed to follow up.

Edgar recovered between rounds, and Maynard offered nothing in the way of offense in the second. Edgar slowly got himself back into a rhythm, and by the third round completely controlled the pace.

Due to some bad judging that failed to give Maynard a 10-8 first round on two judges' scorecards, Edgar entered the Championship rounds ahead after bouncing back from the first round. Instead of leaving things in the judges hands, however, Edgar found a way to put a stamp on this fight and rivalry.

Late in the fourth round, Edgar shot in for a takedown. As Maynard stopped it and scrambled, Edgar landed an uppercut on the way back up that rocked him. Maynard attempted to recover, but as he stumbled to his feet, Edgar accomplished what he couldn't, and followed up. He cracked him with consecutive overhand rights at the cage that sent him crashing to the ground, and landed a series of punches that forced the referee to stop the fight.

It was only Edgar's third stoppage by strikes, but once again showcased the incredible ability this Champion has to survive adversity and adapt his game. He's constantly improving, and has more heart than perhaps any fighter on the UFC's roster.

This was his breakout performance. Even after beating B.J. Penn twice, Edgar failed to quell the doubters. After coming back twice from hellacious first round beatings against the only man that holds a victory over him, there's no doubt he's one of the very best fighters in the world, and deserves to be seen by everyone in that regard.