Shoulder surgery reignites UFC fighter Rich Franklin's passion for MMA

At 37 years old, stuck in the purgatory of being a between-weight-classes fighter, and now on the mend from a recent shoulder surgery, Rich Franklin could easily wonder if being a UFC fighter has lost its luster.

A former no-hassles champ and the UFC's longtime consummate professional, he's found adversity around every corner in recent years.

But if you think Franklin is losing his interest in the fight game, think again. In fact, he said it's quite the opposite.

"Now that I'm injured and can't do things, it's fired me up," he today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "When you're stopped from doing something, that's when you're most hungry for it."

Franklin hasn't fought since a February loss to Forrest Griffin. Like so many of his fights since a move up from middleweight – where two losses to MMA kingpin Anderson Silva forced his departure – he found himself the much smaller fighter on event night.

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I could see Ace fighting another 3-4 years at a high level. I don't know if thats the fan in me talking or if its because he always puts on a good show. Maybe its both. I know one thing, he isn't suffering from CLS (Chuck Liddell Syndrome) like a lot of these older fighters that have been in wars and that works in his favor.

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Posted by prophecy033

I could see Ace fighting another 3-4 years at a high level. I don't know if thats the fan in me talking or if its because he always puts on a good show. Maybe its both. I know one thing, he isn't suffering from CLS (Chuck Liddell Syndrome) like a lot of these older fighters that have been in wars and that works in his favor.

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I think 3-4 years is some wishful thinking. I'd give him another year and a half (2-3 fights) tops before we see him really start to decline. You're right though. Franklin has been in some wars but his chin hasn't been abused like a lot of these other veterans. My guess is Franklin retires with good health and the majority of his brain cells.

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Posted by Budgellism

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Posted by prophecy033

I could see Ace fighting another 3-4 years at a high level. I don't know if thats the fan in me talking or if its because he always puts on a good show. Maybe its both. I know one thing, he isn't suffering from CLS (Chuck Liddell Syndrome) like a lot of these older fighters that have been in wars and that works in his favor.

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I think 3-4 years is some wishful thinking. I'd give him another year and a half (2-3 fights) tops before we see him really start to decline. You're right though. Franklin has been in some wars but his chin hasn't been abused like a lot of these other veterans. My guess is Franklin retires with good health and the majority of his brain cells.

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Franklin is a very smart fighter and takes tremendous care of his body. I could see him becoming the next randy couture in the sense of fighting is the latter years

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Posted by Manak

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Posted by Budgellism

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Posted by prophecy033

I could see Ace fighting another 3-4 years at a high level. I don't know if thats the fan in me talking or if its because he always puts on a good show. Maybe its both. I know one thing, he isn't suffering from CLS (Chuck Liddell Syndrome) like a lot of these older fighters that have been in wars and that works in his favor.

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I think 3-4 years is some wishful thinking. I'd give him another year and a half (2-3 fights) tops before we see him really start to decline. You're right though. Franklin has been in some wars but his chin hasn't been abused like a lot of these other veterans. My guess is Franklin retires with good health and the majority of his brain cells.

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Franklin is a very smart fighter and takes tremendous care of his body. I could see him becoming the next randy couture in the sense of fighting is the latter years

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Yes he has, but he also started several years before Couture started. He's also had more fights than Couture at a way younger age than Couture. It's hard to compare the two in that sense.

Rich's skills are on the decline, not significant but he's not wrestling based and I don't see a non wrestler being super effective into the Couture years.

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Posted by Manak

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Posted by Budgellism

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Posted by prophecy033

I could see Ace fighting another 3-4 years at a high level. I don't know if thats the fan in me talking or if its because he always puts on a good show. Maybe its both. I know one thing, he isn't suffering from CLS (Chuck Liddell Syndrome) like a lot of these older fighters that have been in wars and that works in his favor.

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I think 3-4 years is some wishful thinking. I'd give him another year and a half (2-3 fights) tops before we see him really start to decline. You're right though. Franklin has been in some wars but his chin hasn't been abused like a lot of these other veterans. My guess is Franklin retires with good health and the majority of his brain cells.

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Franklin is a very smart fighter and takes tremendous care of his body. I could see him becoming the next randy couture in the sense of fighting is the latter years

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Franklin has had an exit strategy for years though. He enjoys what he does, but he won't let his competitive nature dictate when he retires.