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While MMAJunkie.com reported today that a bout between Chuck Liddell and Rich Franklin was in the works for UFC 115 this June, UFC President Dana White says that's not happening. In addition, he revealed another bout for Franklin that is just as, if not more, intriguing.
On his Twitter page this afternoon, White posted the following: "Not true! We are doing couture vs franklin not chuck."
With Randy Couture coming off a big victory over Mark Coleman last month, he'll be gearing up for a possible Title shot with another victory or two at 205. Franklin will make his first return to the Octagon since his September loss to Vitor Belfort.
White also posted a comment on Tito Ortiz, saying "Nothing happened to tito. Tito and I are cool." So now it remains to be seen what happens with the Chuck vs. Tito fight and if it will ultimately, in fact, come to fruition.
Penick's Analysis: This changes things up a bit. We went from reports that Ortiz has something going on that may affect his fighting career to reports that he did not finish taping TUF and was out of the fight with Chuck to now that replacement fight not happening and the possibility that Chuck v. Tito III is still on. If this is actually the case, and coming from White it should be reasoned that it is, Couture vs. Franklin is an excellent light heavyweight fight. It gives Rich a chance to rebound from a bad loss and get back to a fight in the division that he wants to fight in at light heavyweight, instead of the catchweight fights he's had his last two times out. It also gives him a fight that can help his career and boost him up to fans and the UFC. For Couture, it's a chance to fight a legitimate threat at 205 and someone that is a past Champion himself. It's a very good matchup and one that simply makes a lot of sense. There's sure to be more coming out about Chuck and Tito and what's going on with TUF 11, so stay tuned as more breaks on this story.
[Dana White photo by Wade Keller (c) MMATorch.com]
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