Former middleweight champion Rich Franklin will return to the 205-pound weight class for the first time in more than three years when he tackles Matt Hamill (Pictures) in one of the featured bouts at UFC 88: Breakthrough on Sept. 6 at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
The UFC announced the light heavyweight bout on Wednesday, along with a middleweight tilt pairing Dan Henderson with Rousimar Palhares and a welterweight match pitting Karo Parisyan against Yoshiyuki Yoshida .
Only two men -- reigning UFC middleweight king Anderson Silva and his undefeated teammate, Lyoto Machida (Pictures) -- have defeated Franklin (23-3, 10-2 UFC) as a professional. The 33-year-old former math teacher has not tested the light heavyweight waters since he stopped UFC Hall-of-Famer Ken Shamrock on strikes at “The Ultimate Fighter” Live Finale in April 2005. Franklin last appeared at UFC 83 in April when he secured a second-round TKO victory against Travis Lutter .
Hamill (4-1, 4-1 UFC), meanwhile, has posted four wins in five fights since his appearance on season three of “The Ultimate Fighter.” He suffered his only career defeat in a split decision to Michael Bisping in 2007, though many felt the judges should have leaned Hamill’s way. The 31-year-old last fought in April when he bounced Tim Boetsch at UFC Fight Night 13.
Still the only man to wear major championships in two weight classes simultaneously, Henderson (22-7, 2-2 UFC) has dropped back-to-back fights to former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Silva. A two-time Olympian, he remains one of the 185-pound division’s most accomplished stars, and his submission loss to Silva at UFC 82 in March represented the first time he had been finished in nearly three years. Henderson still has never been knocked out.
The 28-year-old Palhares (8-1, 1-0 UFC) dazzled in his promotional debut at UFC 84 in May, as he submitted veteran Ivan Salaverry 2:36 into round one. Based out of the Brazilian Top Team, he has rattled off six straight wins, the last five by submission. Palhares has not been stopped in nine career bouts.
Henderson will not be the only standout entering the cage at UFC 88 on the rebound. Once in line for a welterweight title shot against Matt Hughes , Parisyan (18-5, 9-3 UFC) instead finds himself on the outside looking in. The 26-year-old Armenian succumbed to strikes against the American Top Team’s Thiago Alves (Pictures) at UFC Fight Night 13. Nine of Parisyan’s last 11 fights have gone the distance.
Yoshida (10-2, 1-0 UFC), on the other hand, will carry a nine-bout winning streak into the match. He made his UFC debut in May when he choked the mouthy Jon Koppenhaver into unconsciousness at UFC 84. A proven finisher, Yoshida also holds a TKO victory against Akira Kikuchi , the last man to defeat EliteXC welterweight title contender Jake Shields .
