Another UFC legend has hung up the gloves. Former UFC middleweight champion Rich “Ace” Franklin officially announced he would forego the final fight of his UFC contract and retire.
In Franklin, the UFC had the antithesis of a stereotypical cage fighter. He was a former math teacher. He was classy and well-spoken but was every bit an action fighter as evidenced by his 25 career finishes. His UFC career was mostly spent on marquee fight cards and he had wins over legends like Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva and Ken Shamrock. He will be missed in the Octagon as he focuses on his duties as ONE Championship’s vice president.
With that in mind, here are the five most memorable Rich Franklin moments in the UFC:
5. Clashes with Wanderlei Silva (June 13, 2009 and June 23, 2012)
Eight rounds. Forty minutes. Over 250 significant strikes landed. Two Fight of the Night awards. Franklin and Silva engaged in a back-and-forth old school brawl twice the first being in the UFC’s debut in Germany at UFC 99 and the second being in Wanderlei’s home country of Brazil at UFC 147. Franklin showed the heart and grittiness he was known for when Wanderlei rocked him several times in exchanges. He would survive the berserker fury of the “Axe Murderer” and win unanimous decisions on both occasions.
4. Finishing Ken Shamrock at UFC-altering event (April 9, 2005)
Many think of Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar as the main event from The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale live, but in actuality it was Shamrock and Franklin who headlined the event. Booked as a replacement for Tito Ortiz, Franklin would make short work of Shamrock by finishing him by strikes midway through the first. Griffin and Bonnar became instant stars for their legendary brawl but it was also this key fight that marked the beginning of Franklin’s ascent to superstar status.
3. Knocking out Chuck Liddell in Vancouver (June 12, 2010)
Franklin would once again replace Ortiz in a marquee fight, this time against the iconic former UFC light-heavyweight champion. Liddell hurt Franklin with a combination and a high kick would break Franklin’s forearm. It looked to be over for Franklin as Liddell had him pinned against the cage when Franklin fired a counter right that caught “The Iceman” square in the jaw and ended his night with five seconds remaining in the first round. It would go down as one of the UFC’s iconic knockouts as it ended Liddell’s MMA career.
2. Wins UFC middleweight title (June 4, 2005)
Following Franklin’s star-making knockout of Shamrock, he would move down to the middleweight division where he would meet Evan Tanner for the title. Franklin had previously defeated Tanner in his UFC debut two years prior.
Franklin would recover from an early knockdown from Tanner to dominate the rest of the fight until a doctor stoppage to claim his first and only UFC championship. He would hold on to the belt until a certain fighter named Anderson Silva arrived in the UFC.
1. Knocks out Nate Quarry in highlight-reel fashion (Nov. 19, 2005)
Franklin noted during his retirement that his father had chastised his decision to quit his teaching job to pursue a fighting career. During the week of Franklin’s first title defence against Quarry, his father would go back on his initial feelings and congratulate him on having the courage to pursue his dream and being successful at it. Following the father and son’s sentimental moment, Franklin would go on to knock out Quarry in spectacular fashion to defend his title. The knockout is featured in the UFC’s opening pay-per-view montage and would immortalize Franklin as one of the sport’s greats.
