UFC
Rich Franklin looking to return this summer, open to potential move back to middleweight
Apr 1, 2011 - 2:10:49 PM Rich Franklin looking to return this summer, open to potential move back to middleweight

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Rich Franklin has been alternating wins and losses over the last couple of years, bouncing between the light heavyweight division and fights at a 195 lb. catchweight. After a loss to Forrest Griffin in February, Franklin is now looking to get back into action sometime this summer.

"[I'm looking to return in] Maybe June or July, something like that," Franklin said in an interview with MMAJunkie.com. "I like fighting in the summer time because I like being able to train in the summertime. Being here in Cincinnati, I hate having to get ready in the winter. Going out and doing road work at 8 in the morning when it's negative degrees outside can be no fun."

Franklin has no desire to call anyone out for his next fight, and says he's more than willing to take a fight with whoever the UFC puts in front of him. And though his last six fights have come at a higher weight than the division in which he won a title in the UFC, Franklin says under the right circumstances he'd be willing to head back down to middleweight.

"Here's the thing with the 185- and 205-pound divisions," Franklin said. "I realize that I'm a small fighter at 205. Yeah, I could feel the size difference in the [Griffin] fight. Forrest didn't feel significantly stronger than me because there were times where I was pushing him against the cage and all that kind of stuff. So, I wasn't getting muscled around.

"Until I get in the ring and out of the ring and say, 'Holy crap, that guy was way stronger than me; I should not be at 205 because I'm not strong enough,' then I'll deal with that when I get there. If the UFC came back to me and said, 'Move back to 185, and let's see what a title pursuit is going to look like for you,' and they threw some names at me to put me in contention, then perhaps I'd be tickled."

Link to Original Source Article

Penick's Analysis: Franklin's been in a tough spot for the last few years. He's one of the smaller fighters at 205 lbs., and the cut to 185 lbs. isn't always the best for him. He looked good at 195 lbs. against Wanderlei Silva, but then also got knocked out by Vitor Belfort. With how the Griffin fight went down, a move back to middleweight wouldn't be a terrible idea, but he won't be likely to make a title run there so long as Anderson Silva is on top when he's been defeated by him twice already. For now, there are plenty of interesting potential fights for Franklin, so hopefully whenever he returns the UFC puts him in an entertaining fight.

[Rich Franklin art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]