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"It's not signed yet, but we’ve been working Randy now for a while. We've talked June, then we talked August and now we're talking June again. I think we're having problems with Randy's scheduling. So I really don't know what the plan is at this point... I'm at a point now where I've fought enough fights and it's time for me to make a title run again and see where that takes me. That's where my focus is now... It's not somebody that you necessarily look to for fighting. My standard answer when they say, 'Hey we want you to fight so and so?’ is I say 'How does Randy feel about that?’ If he’s cool with it professionally, great. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to be friends when it's all said and done."
-Rich Franklin talks to the Boston Herald about his expected fight with Randy Couture and wanting to make another run at a Title.
Penick's Analysis: This is a fight that simply makes sense from a business standpoint and a competitive standpoint in the light heavyweight division. Like Franklin says, they'll be friends when the fight is over, but both of them need a higher level opponent in the division right now and it's a fight that can move either of them up the ladder if they win. Hopefully they're able to get Couture's schedule figured out so they can book this fight.
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"There's still a large contingent of people, that they just want to see these guys almost die, or the other guy almost die and come back, and sometimes fights are like that. Certainly they are. But sometimes you get technical masterpieces too, and to hate a beautiful, technical fight - you're not really a fight fan...
Diaz has a granite chin, possesses perhaps the best recovery in the sport, his pace and conditioning are second to none and he sets records with the volume of his punches almost every time he steps into the cage. Nick Diaz is simply designed to fight the way he fights, and not many other fighters are...
"There was a lot of poison going on around there and I'm really disappointed because we had a good thing going. It was a good thing and I think people's egos got in the way. Well, not people just Javier, his ego got in the way, and too many cameras in the gym and him trying to build himself up and his brand, his AKA brand...
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