“My favorite fighter is Frankie Edgar,” said the Russian in an interview with Saffan Akhmedmia. “He beat a lot of tough guys. He was always small and beat the big guys.”
Frankie Edgar won the UFC Lightweight Championship in April 2010 with a unanimous decision win over BJ Penn before making three successful defenses of the belt, defeating Penn in a rematch, drawing with Gray Maynard, and then knocking out Maynard in a rematch. .
In February 2012, the American lost the title, losing by unanimous decision to his compatriot Benson Henderson after five rounds. In addition, Edgar fought three times for the UFC featherweight championship belt, losing twice to Jose Aldo, and once losing to Max Holloway.
Frankie Edgar, 41, retired last November after losing by knockout in the first round to Chris Gutierrez in a farewell fight.