Rich Franklin ready for middleweight return against Michael Bisping following UFC 93 and TUF 9

“I have not personally spoken to Dana, the UFC or any of the production people about [TUF 9]. Six weeks in Vegas, I’ve gotten to the point where I could care less for staying in Vegas for that period of time. It’s time away from my family and time away from doing the things I can do to make money. The show doesn’t pay very well. But anything the UFC asks me to do, I’m always on board for. I guess they would more than likely — whoever, between Dan and I wins — they’d do that fight at 185 pounds. How that makes sense to me I’m not sure, but I take it one fight at a time. So if the UFC comes to me and says, ‘We’re doing the Bisping fight at 185 pounds,’ then it is what it is.”

-A reluctant but agreeable Rich Franklin confirmed today that the winner of his light heavyweight battle with Dan Henderson at UFC 93 will be asked to oppose TUF 3 winner Michael “The Count” Bisping on the ninth season of the UFC and SpikeTV reality show “The Ultimate Fighter.” Franklin recently moved back to light heavyweight after going 0-2 against current middleweight champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva. While a return to TUF might go a long way in attracting casual viewers, it sounds like “Ace” would rather be somewhere a little more lucrative at this stage of his career. All of this is of course moot if Franklin is unable to defeat “Hollywood”.


Link

WAR ACE!

I'm glad he's finally gone on record and said that he will be a coach if he wins

just after his 2nd loss to anderson nobody in the world wanted a 3rd beating so he went to 205. now if he wins a fight at 205 he goes back to 185 and fights a top 5 challenger?? there are enough talented guys at 185 to coach, and with bispings name have one of them do it. have WANDY coach the usa team, he lives here now nad has a gym here. he will present some fireworks for sure specially since bisping trains with rampage and may bring rampage in for a session or 2.

I like Rich Franklin for the simple fact that he is very professional.

---

Posted by sparky

I like Rich Franklin for the simple fact that he is very professional.

---

---

Posted by gabe531

---

Posted by sparky

I like Rich Franklin for the simple fact that he is very professional.

---

---

should be a good fight.

franklin didnt really confirm anything

what type of bush league reporting is this.

franklin is a stand up guy...i gain more and more respect for the guy as the years go by. i do think he has a chance of maybe being a lhw champ one day and if he can beat hendo i think he deserves a lhw titleshot or at least a no.1 contenders fight not a fight with bisping who of which he would murder in my mind. then what another fight with silva....not likely.

---

Posted by MMAcca

---

Posted by gabe531

---

Posted by sparky

I like Rich Franklin for the simple fact that he is very professional.

---

---

---

WAR MESSAGE ICONS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rich is obviously reluctant, and it is absurd for him to come back to 185 to fight... Michael Bisping?! No disrespect to Bisping (I actually am a fan of his) but I think Rich has bigger fish to fry in the LHW division.

The entire reason Rich moved out of the MW division is because he can't beat Anderson Silva and he was only going to beat possible contenders that could potentially face Silva.

Dan and Bisping makes all the sense in the world because a victory could be a potential #1 contenders spot. It's just unfortunate Franklin had to become the third wheel in this debacle.

I love rich franklin, and bisping is also on my list of favorites. So i would love that season of TUF. However, i might prefer Hendo to coach it. I'd just prefer rich at 205.

For now, however, i'm just excited for the upcoming fight. It should be a battle, hardly anyone more experienced than these two.

they screwed up they should have just had dan fight nate for coach and left rich alone

interesting fight though if dan wins franklin may fight lidell or machida next
if dan loses i think he has a date vs wandy at 185

I see either Dan or Rich owning Bisping in a fight. The match up makes no sense to me at all. What happened with making Nate Marquardt a coach? I think he could give Bisping a solid beating too IMO.

---

Posted by jae_1833

I see either Dan or Rich owning Bisping in a fight. The match up makes no sense to me at all. What happened with making Nate Marquardt a coach? I think he could give Bisping a solid beating too IMO.

---

I am one of the few who actually thinks Bisping is a solid fighter, but I do agree that Marquardt would put a stompin' on Bisping. The big problem with Bisping is he doesn't put enough "stank" on his punches. He's looked good at MW, so we'll see.. but yeah, man.. Marquardt all day over Bisping. That's the fight that should be happening.

Franklin vs. Bisping is something I have 0 interest in. At least Hendo could legitimize another title shot after beating Bisping. Even if he lost I think Hendo would provide a good opportunity to see what Bisping is really made of.

---

Posted by jae_1833

I see either Dan or Rich owning Bisping in a fight. The match up makes no sense to me at all. What happened with making Nate Marquardt a coach? I think he could give Bisping a solid beating too IMO.

---

Could not agree more. I would love to see Nate roll through Bisping in order to get another opportunity at Anderson.

I will actually dislike bisbing less when he gets laid out cold, then he becomes a humble fighter hopefully instead of this false reality that hes even top 10.

---

Posted by Jackelope

---

Posted by jae_1833

I see either Dan or Rich owning Bisping in a fight. The match up makes no sense to me at all. What happened with making Nate Marquardt a coach? I think he could give Bisping a solid beating too IMO.

---

I am one of the few who actually thinks Bisping is a solid fighter, but I do agree that Marquardt would put a stompin' on Bisping. The big problem with Bisping is he doesn't put enough "stank" on his punches. He's looked good at MW, so we'll see.. but yeah, man.. Marquardt all day over Bisping. That's the fight that should be happening.

Franklin vs. Bisping is something I have 0 interest in. At least Hendo could legitimize another title shot after beating Bisping. Even if he lost I think Hendo would provide a good opportunity to see what Bisping is really made of.

---

More than a few think Bisping is solid. You can think someone is solid and not a top guy at the same time.

---

Posted by Jim_Dangle

---

Posted by Jackelope

---

Posted by jae_1833

I see either Dan or Rich owning Bisping in a fight. The match up makes no sense to me at all. What happened with making Nate Marquardt a coach? I think he could give Bisping a solid beating too IMO.

---

I am one of the few who actually thinks Bisping is a solid fighter, but I do agree that Marquardt would put a stompin' on Bisping. The big problem with Bisping is he doesn't put enough "stank" on his punches. He's looked good at MW, so we'll see.. but yeah, man.. Marquardt all day over Bisping. That's the fight that should be happening.

Franklin vs. Bisping is something I have 0 interest in. At least Hendo could legitimize another title shot after beating Bisping. Even if he lost I think Hendo would provide a good opportunity to see what Bisping is really made of.

---

More than a few think Bisping is solid. You can think someone is solid and not a top guy at the same time.

---

You havnt met Bisbing nuthuggers then, they actually think he beat Hamill

Why isn't Marquardt a coach? It's because exactly zero casual fans know who he is. Just about everybody that has ever watched the sport knows Rich Franklin, and almost as many know Dan Henderson. Plus, Michael Bisping is the biggest fighter in England, so he was an obvious choice for the UK team.

The Ultimate Fighter isn't always about the best fight. It's about the storyline. Think about it: we all knew that Tito vs. Ken, Serra vs. Hughes (which hasn't happened yet), and BJ vs. Jens weren't going to be good fights. But those were two of the most-watched seasons because we all knew that there would be some fireworks. That's why most of us watch TV.

1. Bisping is yet to beat a legit 185er, so I don't understand how he has gotten the oppurtunity to coach and then fight for a title shot. Just the UFC trying to make money off his name.

2. Regardless of who wins, Bisping will have his hands full and IMO loses easily to both Rich and Dan.

dont you guys keep up with anything in the "way of the ufc"? first you had griffin on season 1, then he was a coach, then got the belt. now evans was on season 2, got the belt, and now he will coach against bisping. a little out of order i know but evans and bisping as coaches on season 9.

---

Posted by MMAcca

---

Posted by gabe531

---

Posted by sparky

I like Rich Franklin for the simple fact that he is very professional.

---

---

---

i like rich franklin cause he can kick some seriouse ass and always puts on a good show. you cant name a fight that he didnt make look awesom.