UFC 136: Frankie Edgar Fulfilled a Childhood Dream by Beating Down the "Bully"

Frankie Edgar was not the biggest fighter on Saturday night.  

He wasn't the stronger fighter.

He wasn't even the undefeated fighter.

The only thing he was on Saturday, was the victor.

Everyone has been picked on sometime in their life, leaving them feeling inadequate.  Whether it was through words or through physical punishment, everyone has been hurt by somebody who was bigger or better than them in some way.

For Frankie Edgar, it was on April 2, 2008 when Maynard beat him and though Maynard never said that Edgar was too weak or small, MMA fans did.

Frankie would dust himself off and then proceed to win the UFC lightweight title in a division where everyone was bigger and stronger than him.

Then Edgar got his shot at redemption on January 1, 2011.  Instead, he walked away with a draw.

In a way, it was a moral victory.  Even after beating B.J. Penn, many thought that Maynard would repeat his 2008 win and become the new UFC lightweight champion.  Instead, Edgar proved that he had grown better with time.

At UFC 136, Frankie didn't just win a moral victory, but an official one as well.

For once he wasn't the guy who was good despite his size; he wasn't a decent fighter in the lightweight division who would be great at featherweight; and he wasn't the sure pick to get beaten because he was the smaller man.

Just like in the first fight, Edgar was rocked and beaten in the opening round.

Also like the first fight, he came back, except this time he made sure to leave no doubt in anyone's mind.  

For two fights Edgar was able to take Maynard's punishment, but in the second Maynard couldn't do the same and was knocked out.

With it, Edgar finally quieted many naysayers and those that said he was too small.

Just like that, Edgar finally got Maynard off his back and proved that sometimes the smaller guys get to beat down the "Bully."