- Ross Pearson: Grounded For LifeA chance meeting with UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar provided Sunderland scrapper Ross 'The Real Deal' Pearson with all the answers he was looking for. Over the course of seven days, Pearson quickly realized Edgar would be too strong for BJ Penn in their return match and also discovered just what it takes to reach and remain at the top of t […]
- What Made Nate Great?W2 Shonie Carter – September 24, 2000 – Pancrase 2000 Anniversary ShowMarquardt turned pro in April of 1999, three days before his 20th birthday, and by the end of that year, he was 6-1 and fighting in Japan. It was a whirlwind ride for the youngster, who made an international statement on September 24, 2000 by defeating Kiuma Kunioku and Shonie Carter on th […]
- Steve Lopez, Take TwoSteve Lopez’s left arm felt like a piece of saltwater taffy. Sitting backstage at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, the UFC’s newest lightweight silently suffered while doctors worked to find the best angle for repairing his dislocated shoulder. The first try didn’t take, so they gave it another shot, stretching and pulling the limb in every directio […]
- From The Mouth of MirOn his motorcycle accident “Because it was a clean break, I was told that I could come back and still play ‘full contact sports’ – as the doctor said it. I don’t think he realized the extent of it. (Laughs) But he got the point that I needed to be able to take a really hard shot from really crazy and stupid angles. That was what I asked him. ‘It’s not re […]
- Rich Attonito - The Bull Rages OnWe’ve heard the tale time and again. A fresh face joins the UFC ranks touting serious wrestling credentials – All-American! D1 champion! Team captain! – and buzz immediately ensues. Be it Cain and Kos, or Jon Fitch and Jon Jones, one’s performance on the mats almost always clues us into his potential in the cage.Rich Attonito is the anomaly.Despite being a […]
- Tweets of the Week - 9/3UFC 118 In the Books “Looking like Skeletor but I feel like "Master of the Universe" -Kenny Florian “@Kenny_Florian it's ok bro! U r still 1 of the best. Just gotta look @ what happened n learn. U r the better fighter, just lost points. “ -Nate Marquardt "THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR SUPPORT! I HAVE THE VERY BEST FANS, FRIEN […]
- Best of WEC now on DVDChatsworth, Calif. – Some of the greatest fights in the history of World Extreme Cagefighting® will be available on one, action-packed DVD and Blu-Ray®. Image Entertainment, Inc. (OTCQB: DISK), one of the largest independent home entertainment distributors in North America and acknowledged pioneer of the multi-billion dollar optical disc industry, announced […]
- UFC Seeking College RepsUFC magazine is looking for outgoing, motivated college students who are tapped into life on campus – online and off -- to help spread the word about UFC.Talk about a cool gig - working as a college rep gives you access to the inside world of UFC, plus it can't hurt your resume to have experience with one of the fastest-growing brands in the world.As a […]
- Meat Cleaver Plans Austin UpsetWhen Julio Paulino went down a couple of weeks prior to UFC 116, Forrest Petz got the kind of phone call blue-collar Clevelanders aren’t normally accustomed to—how’d you like to go to Las Vegas and take on a Ninja on very short notice?For a cage veteran like Petz though, a former forklift operator who’s been around the block a few times and still works in pu […]
- Mirko's Memorable MomentsKO 1 Igor Vovchanchyn – PRIDE Total Elimination 2003 – August 10, 2003“Right leg hospital, left leg cemetery.” Maybe the greatest, and certainly the most intimidating, quote in mixed martial arts history, and it definitely applies to the fighting style of Cro Cop, who used his signature left head kick to blast out the vastly underrated Vovchanchyn out in the […]
A short Interview with Rich Franklin.
Rich “Ace” Franklin is a former high school math teacher turned professional fighter, he has a Masters Degree in education and a Bachelors Degree in mathematics. He made his professional MMA debut in March of 2000 and has a record of 20 wins and only 2 losses. Rich became the UFC Middleweight (185 lb.) Champion by defeating Evan Tanner at UFC 53 and had 2 successful title defenses before losing his belt in October 2006 to Anderson “The Spider” Silva. Rich is widely considered one of the top 3-5 Middleweights in the world and one of the most well rounded fighters in MMA.
Now the interview:
MMAToday: You have a fight coming up at UFC 68 in Columbus, how has your training been going?
RF: Training is going well. I am healthy, my nose and hand both feel great, and my conditioning is on schedule.
MMAToday: How is it for you to be fighting in front of the home crowd?
RF: I don’t think it will be much different for me. I fight on pay-per-view, so I am always fighting in front of my home crowd. The weigh-ins are going to be interesting though!
MMAToday: Does it motivate you more or make you work even harder coming off your first loss in almost 3 years?
RF: No, I think part of my problem is that I worked too hard for my last fight. It motivated me to work smarter.
MMAToday: What do you see yourself doing differently the next time around with Anderson Silva?
RF: I’m not sure, and in the meantime I have at least 1 opponent to think about before him. I haven’t even looked at my Silva tape yet, and won’t until I am ready to fight him again.
MMAToday: What do you think of your opponent Jason McDonald, who is coming off of two impressive wins?
RF: He is slick on the ground and I know he will plan on taking the fight there. I will have to be careful with that.
MMAToday: Have you done any extra training in any areas like: takedown defense, jiu jitsu or striking in anticipation of this fight?
RF: I do that kind of training for every fight, but we have focused on some situational training for Jason.
MMAToday: Do you see yourself getting a title shot immediately after this bout if you are victorious?
RF: I don’t know and every time I try to make a prediction in this sport I am wrong…we will just have to see how things unfold for me.
MMAToday: What do you see in the future for 2007, possible opponents?
RF: I take this fight game one fight at a time. The only thing I see in 2007 so far is the March 3rd fight against Jason.
MMAToday: Who in the UFC would you like to fight that you have not fought yet?
RF: I have never concerned myself with other fighters…I just want to get back on a winning track at this point.
MMAToday: Is there a possibility of you moving up to 205? As you are considered a massive 185lb fighter.
RF: You never know what the future holds. However, I need to focus on getting my 185 lb. Title back first.
MMAToday: What fight or fights in your career really stick out in your mind and why?
RF: The Ken Shamrock always comes to mind. Of coarse he is a legend, and that fight propelled my career.
MMAToday: What do you do in your spare time, when not training or promoting the UFC?
RF: I like to do anything that requires adrenaline. We played a game a paintball on quad runners the other day at my house. I like to read my Bible, and I just started playing the drums.
MMAToday: How much do you think you have changed as a fighter over the last three years? Do you see yourself as still evolving and getting better?
RF: I know I am getting better every day. The more advanced you become in any skill, the more enjoyment you have to find in the tiniest improvements of your game.
MMAToday: Is there a possibility of you ever leaving the UFC and going to another organization like Pride?
RF: Not likely…
MMAToday: Is there anyone in Pride you would like to fight? (I had asked a few questions before this about possibilities of fighting other fighters)
RF: I don’t care who I fight. I don’t care about avenging losses. When I am finished fighting I want people to remember me as a great competitor. To accomplish this goal, I will fight anyone necessary.
MMAToday: Where do you see yourself in the overall rankings in your weight class?
RF: That is not for me to decide.
MMAToday: Is there any one fighter that you admire and why?
RF: Many! Randy Couture for defying age with his ability. Matt Hughes for his dominance. Jeremy Horn for his experience…I could go on.
MMAToday: What inspires you to fight and what keeps you motivated?
RF: You can’t explain a thirst for competition to those who do not have it. I am a competitor.
MMAToday: What type of fight do you prefer to be in? Whether it be a ground fight or a standup battle, and why?
RF: I like the stand-up…it excites the crowd!!!
Brian Robertson is owner and webmaster of www.mmatoday.com
