Richie Franklin 205?

[LatsMcGee]

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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder Rich "Ace" Franklin is considering a return to the light heavyweight division according to his manager, Monte Cox.

"Rich has to make a decision," Cox told MMAWeekly Radio. "We've certainly considered going to 205 and seeing how he does up there."

Franklin obtained the middleweight championship at UFC 53 by defeating Evan Tanner. He lost the belt to current champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva at UFC 64 and was defeated again by Silva in a rematch at UFC 77.

"He's fought almost everybody in the 185-pound division," said Cox. "There are some guys that he could fight, but if he beats them it knocks them out of title contention. And nobody is looking to see Rich and Anderson Silva 3 right now, including me."

Franklin competed as a light heavyweight for the first half of his career losing only once, to the still undefeated Lyoto Machida, but hasn't fought at 205 pounds since 2004.

"It's one of those deals where he's such a big star, which helps. He's loved everywhere he goes, a big ovation in Canada and all that. But he's not helping the 185-pound division right now by beating everybody up in it," commented Cox.

"We've talked about going to 205 and how would he match up with some of those guys, with a Forrest Griffin or a Keith Jardine. I think there're some really good fights. There's a whole bunch of 205's that I think would be interesting."

He continued, "In the end, we do what the UFC wants. If they want us to try 205, we're up for it. If they want to keep us at 185, then we'll do that too."

Franklin is coming off a win in the middleweight division over Travis Lutter at UFC 83 and isn't expected back in action for another three to four months.

[coltrane]

i thnk rich is starting to have trouble w guys at 185....  205 wouldn't fair any better.

maybe he should consider retirement

[bigbalddaddy]

Money wise could be a good move...that is until he gets knocked out.  They would put him up against some scrubs and everyone has a good day...one lose to a rookie and he's done!

[Big Worm]

i thnk rich is starting to have trouble w guys at 185....  205 wouldn't fair any better.

maybe he should consider retirement

Who did he have trouble with ? Silva? He convincingly defeated everyone else he's fought against..

[Benny B]

Who did he have trouble with ? Silva? He convincingly defeated everyone else he's fought against..

Getting beat down by Silva twice means there isn't anything left for him at 185. Nobody wants to see those two fight again. Its tough when you can't fight for the title in your weight class anymore...at least until Silva is no longer champ.

He could move up to 205, but like others have said I can't see him surviving long in that division. If he wants to continue fighting and get a title shot perhaps he should consider fighting for another organization.

[Big Worm]

Getting beat down by Silva twice means there isn't anything left for him at 185. Nobody wants to see those two fight again. Its tough when you can't fight for the title in your weight class anymore...at least until Silva is no longer champ.

He could move up to 205, but like others have said I can't see him surviving long in that division. If he wants to continue fighting and get a title shot perhaps he should consider fighting for another organization.

Yo no se ?  I have to disagree with you ..Rich manhadles those guys he's fighting now ... I think he'll do pretty well..

[Hedgehog]

205?

If anything, he should consider getting down into the 170 lbs division.

He isn't competitive in 205 or in 185.

In 170, he would be pretty tall.

It would be fcuking hard for him to do, but it's the only real move he's got left IMO.

Cause I don't see the point of him fight as a second rate light heavy.

As a 170 lbs, he would get the title shot and be one of the top 4-5 fighters even if he lost that one.

But Anderson fcuked him up. Real bad. I think everyone could see that in his eyes that first night, and again the second night, he was a broken man.

No confidence left.

[coltrane]

Who did he have trouble with ? Silva? He convincingly defeated everyone else he's fought against..

I personally don't think he beat anyone convincingly except for Lutter.  I guess i'm saying he doesn't stand out anymore like he did a few years back.  Remember when he was an animal?

[BigNBloated]

205?

If anything, he should consider getting down into the 170 lbs division.

He isn't competitive in 205 or in 185.

In 170, he would be pretty tall.

It would be fcuking hard for him to do, but it's the only real move he's got left IMO.

Cause I don't see the point of him fight as a second rate light heavy.

As a 170 lbs, he would get the title shot and be one of the top 4-5 fighters even if he lost that one.

But Anderson fcuked him up. Real bad. I think everyone could see that in his eyes that first night, and again the second night, he was a broken man.

No confidence left.

HAHAHAHHA 170? you cant be serious. The man had to do some SERIOUS work to get down to 185 there isnt a chance in hell he would move to that division. He'd be sacrificing his physical prowess if he was ever able to get that small. 

He did well at 205. He faught in japan against machida and ufc blacked balled him during the height of the chuck liddell and randy couture reign so to get back in his only option was to drop to 185 and he struggled hard with it. Before that he did very well at that weight and didnt have to cut much to make 205 so he was physically more sound.

[coltrane]

so you think he could compete against the 205'ers?

[americanbulldog]

HAHAHAHHA 170? you cant be serious. The man had to do some SERIOUS work to get down to 185 there isnt a chance in hell he would move to that division. He'd be sacrificing his physical prowess if he was ever able to get that small. 

He did well at 205. He faught in japan against machida and ufc blacked balled him during the height of the chuck liddell and randy couture reign so to get back in his only option was to drop to 185 and he struggled hard with it. Before that he did very well at that weight and didnt have to cut much to make 205 so he was physically more sound.

Actually, he fought Ken Shamrock at 205, in the "infamous slip/high kick."  Definitely looked like a work to me.  (One that Ken knew about, but not Ace).  Ace punished him from top. 

[Fury]

Franklin is way too big for 170. He's one of the bigger 185s at is.

[Hedgehog]

Actually, he fought Ken Shamrock at 205, in the "infamous slip/high kick."  Definitely looked like a work to me.  (One that Ken knew about, but not Ace).  Ace punished him from top. 

He was very succesful at 205.

But he was even better at 185.

Then came Anderson Silva. It's just like Franklin lost all his confidence after the first fight.

The second fight just broke him.

The Shamrock fight is a great example of how Franklin used to make his opponents look slow, uncoordinated and moving like in slow motion.

It used to be Franklin doing to others what Anderson Silva did to him.

Compare Franklin-Silva with Hendo-Silva.

Despite that Hendo lost, he never froze. Hendo may have been outskilled, but he kept fighting, stuck to his game plan as well as he could.

Franklin just froze. It was IMO the most dominant performance in UFC, considering how great of a fighter Rich Franklin is.

HAHAHAHHA 170? you cant be serious. The man had to do some SERIOUS work to get down to 185 there isnt a chance in hell he would move to that division. He'd be sacrificing his physical prowess if he was ever able to get that small. 

He did well at 205. He faught in japan against machida and ufc blacked balled him during the height of the chuck liddell and randy couture reign so to get back in his only option was to drop to 185 and he struggled hard with it. Before that he did very well at that weight and didnt have to cut much to make 205 so he was physically more sound.

He would have to starve himself, restructure his physique, not only lose fat, but also lose some muscle.

But I don't see what he could possibly achieve in 205 or in 185.

He can't take the belt 185. And I sure as hell don't think he can do it in 205 either.

I like Franklin a lot though. Helluva nice guy.

But nice guys...

[gymrat75]

Screw it, have it move up to 205lbs and fight chuck Liddel!!! That would be a good slug fest!

[Faust]

He would have to starve himself, restructure his physique, not only lose fat, but also lose some muscle.
But I don't see what he could possibly achieve in 205 or in 185.
He can't take the belt 185. And I sure as hell don't think he can do it in 205 either.
I like Franklin a lot though. Helluva nice guy.
But nice guys...

How about being the second best in the weight division? I'd like to see him fight Henderson.
Silva has lost in the past and will lose again. He could get injured, lose focus, get knocked out by a lucky punch, he was already submitted twice, ... Not saying it will happen soon.

Rich aint going nowhere. Getting to 170 would be crazy. I can't even really see Silva (who is much thinner) do that succesfully. At 205 he would have to fight his way up, and right now i can see even a guy like Jardine winning from him.

[20inch calves]

i think he would be jardine.

[bigbalddaddy]

Well the irony is, if Rich thought for a second he could have done good at 205 he would have never left especially after coming off a huge win over Slamrock...he saw something in that division that he wanted no part of!  Now he realizes he has no choice...He is a helluva nice guy but...ummmm...yeah...

[bigjohN79]

He would do great! But dont think he would be in the top3 or anything like that. But who knows! I would like to see him right hendo though!