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11-07-2012, 03:24 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Location: Where I live? No I ask the questions here Posts: 18,183
|  Rich Franklin: I’m the last of the Mohicans
Rich Franklin: I’m the last of the Mohicans | UFC NEWS MMA News | Mixed Martial Arts | UFC News | BJPenn | MMA Fight | UFC Fights Quote:
Rich Franklin headlined the first live television event in the United States, and also headlined the company’s first shows in places like Ireland, Northern Ireland, Germany and Western Canada. He faces the sport’s most unorthodox stand-up specialist, Cung Le, in the main event at the Cotai Arena at the Venetian Resort in Macau.
Likely to be the oldest combined age fight in the UFC this year, with Franklin at 38 and Le being 40. Franklin started with UFC in 2004 and won the middleweight title the next year and beat Ken Shamrock in the UFC’s live television debut on April 9, 2005, on Spike TV. It was the main event that followed the legendary Stephan Bonnar vs. Forrest Griffin. At the time, fighters like Bonnar, Kenny Florian and Nate Quarry were newcomers trying to break into UFC on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. Franklin was a veteran title contender, who coached on the second season. Now Bonnar, Florian and Quarry are all retired.
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“Yeah, I realize I’m on borrowed time at this point,” said Franklin. “I’m 38 years old. I remember when I started being asked these questions about a year-and-a-half ago. It really hits you hard at first, but I’m used to it now. I never thought about it with Bonnar retiring. I didn’t look at it like that. But Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell, Randy and I were the people who were part of the UFC before it exploded and they’re now all gone. I’m the last of the Mohicans.”
“I would have never predicted this,” he said. “I was teaching high school in 2002. I quit my job and was teaching part-time until three weeks before my title fight (in 2005 when he beat Evan Tanner to become UFC middleweight champion). I was still teaching in the at-risk program when I decided to quit my job. I never thought it would end up like this. I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll do this for a few years, it’ll be cool, and then I’ll go back to teaching.’ That’s how things would have been had UFC stayed where it was. I’ve been with the company almost ten years, the same time the sport has exploded. I was on the main card for the Ultimate Fighter 1 final, fought Ken Shamrock, then got the title fight, and the sport blew up.”
| Franklin has never lost a middleweight fight to anyone but Anderson Silva, the best of all-time in that weight class.
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”Possibly, but maybe it’s fortunate I ran into him in my career,” he said looking back, noting the move back to 185 is with the goal of getting one last title shot. “If you’re going to lose, it might as well be to that guy. It’s just amazing the stuff he does in the Octagon. He fought Stephan Bonnar and he slipped the spinning back kick like something in the Matrix. I’m sure he’s a better fighter than when I fought him. I think I’m better as well. He’s more experienced. I’m more experienced. Beating a guy like Anderson is going to be a tough thing no matter who you are. But when you have a champions mentality, you knock me down and I’ll get back up. Knock me down twice and I’ll get up again. Eventually I’m going to find your number. I believe with another shot I can win that fight.”
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__________________ There are many paths to freedom....not all are peaceful. | 
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11-07-2012, 03:29 PM
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#2 (permalink)
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Status: Champion Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,229
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I've never been a Rich fan, but the fact that he wants another shot at Anderson speaks volumes. The guy got absolutely smashed twice, but still thinks he can win... Amazing.
__________________  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_ykRz5TdpQ
Roses are gay,
Violets are gayer,
Fuck this Poem and listen to Slayer
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11-07-2012, 03:47 PM
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#3 (permalink)
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Status: Ed Soares's #1 contender Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,803
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Quote:
Originally Posted by optimusjoel  I've never been a Rich fan, but the fact that he wants another shot at Anderson speaks volumes. The guy got absolutely smashed twice, but still thinks he can win... Amazing. | Yep, loads of respect for Rich.
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11-07-2012, 03:54 PM
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#4 (permalink)
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Status: Amateur Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 325
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It'll be a sad day when he retires. Like him or not he always brings it and has been a great embassader for the sport.
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11-07-2012, 06:18 PM
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#5 (permalink)
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Status: The Prodigy's Prodigy Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Australia Posts: 238
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I'm pretty sure he trained with Anderson a couple of years ago maybe around the maia fight and stated that he would never fight him again out of respect after training with him
__________________  Favourite fighters BJ PENN, Edson Barboza, Shogun, Wanderlei, Diego Brandao, Grey Maynard, Chuck Liddell, Thiago Silva, Forrest Griffen, Pat Barry, Genki Sudo, Chris Lytle, Nick Diaz, Nate Diaz, Micheal Mcdonald
Hated fighters GSP, Anderson Silva, Rashad Evans, Micheal Bisping, Josh Koscheck, Jon Jones, Dominick Cruz,
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11-07-2012, 06:38 PM
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#6 (permalink)
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Status: Shady Soldier Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: PEI canada Posts: 1,834
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^ he must have lost that respect...donno how that'd happen
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11-07-2012, 06:41 PM
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#7 (permalink)
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Status: Calmer than you are Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: World of Pain! Posts: 3,302
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Should be a good fight with Cung. Are they showing it live? If so what time will it be at? I hate watching tape delay.
Franklin is a definite hall of famer. As a teacher myself I have always rooted for him. Don't want to see him face Anderson, but if Anderson left 185 it would be a cool swan song to see Ace hold a belt.
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11-07-2012, 09:30 PM
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#9 (permalink)
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Status: Curses, foiled again! Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 12,325
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*feels like acting like roaddawg*
I am offended that this guy is pretending he is Native American when he clearly isn't. I hope he gets his ass retired.
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11-08-2012, 12:39 AM
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#10 (permalink)
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Status: Spyke Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Zhuji, China Posts: 424
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Vitor and Frank Mir are still there. They have been around even longer and held more belts. I know what he is saying though, and I am always happy to see him fight.
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