Rich Ace Franklin

Pequeño Corey said:
Who’s your top 5?
Click to expand...
I'd go Silva, Adesanya, Weidman, Whittaker, and fifth would probably be like...Romero or Belfort. Yes, the 5th spot have warts, but they fought and performance against elite competition better than Franklin did while having a similar strength of schedule (i'd argue harder opponents since Rich fought a lot of great guys who were a bit past it).

If we're taking into account work in neighboring weight classes then Hendo would be in the top 5 of course.


Rich was really good, but no, I dont think he'd beat every 185er with one arm tied behind his back. I think when its said and done, DDP will be ranked higher than Rich if he's not already.

Rich is like a Sean Strickland level guy I think. He's a feather in any ones cap and a threat, but not super consistent (at the tippy top level) or dominating. Whenever they fight non elite guys they beat them, so they're clearly top guys, just at the bottom of that tier.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HHJ
I saw him at a local kickboxing event a year ago. Dude is like brock lesnar size right now.

1739943726463.png
 
Pequeño Corey said:
Who’s your top 5?
Click to expand...

I just mentioned 4 guys who would have a better case no matter how you slice it.

I already reminded you Rich's record at 185. If you wanted to include fights in different divisions, he would have an even worse case in front of those guys


Of course Whittaker and Adesanya or Dricus among others have a better MW resume.

Franklin defended his tittle vs MWs who werent even ranked top10 worlwide, let alone top5. UFC just didnt pay for top talent back then. Its called prizefighting for a reason.
 
Doctor Grudge said:
He's a very big guy in general. He had a hard time making 185, or at least he claimed.
Click to expand...
He used to cut from 207 to make 185.
Definitely one of the biggest of his generation, and still a big cut by today standards
 
Rich gave out some brutal beatings. And had a couple great highlight reel KO's. Great career. He's a legend. He was definitely a contributor to the evolution of MMA.
 
BowserJr said:
Oh you're one of those that think that every single newer generation dighter is better than the previous while ignoring the speed and technique on display.

Sorry but nearly all the top 10 at MW and higher are worse than 1 or more different generations from before
Click to expand...
No I don't.

I just don't think Rich was exceptional
 
HHJ said:
No I don't.

I just don't think Rich was exceptional
Click to expand...
Well you can only fight in the era you are in, within the organization you belong to, and I feel like it's hard to argue against the fact that Rich was inherently exceptional (for his era). You don't separate yourself from the pack and defend a title multiple times without being exceptional, by definition.
 
DrRodentia said:
Well you can only fight in the era you are in, within the organization you belong to, and I feel like it's hard to argue against the fact that Rich was inherently exceptional (for his era). You don't separate yourself from the pack and defend a title multiple times without being exceptional, by definition.
Click to expand...
Ok well "the pack" is Evan Tanner and a bunch of people no one remembers today

That's fin, sure, OK... but people putting him above every mw except Anderson and Izzy, is baffling to me.

I was watching UFC before Franklin even had the belt. I knew there were other mws that would probably beat him, but UFC just didn't have them.
 
HHJ said:
Ok well "the pack" is Evan Tanner and a bunch of people no one remembers today

That's fin, sure, OK... but people putting him above every mw except Anderson and Izzy, is baffling to me.

I was watching UFC before Franklin even had the belt. I knew there were other mws that would probably beat him, but UFC just didn't have them.
Click to expand...
I dunno. Outside of Cung Le at the very end of his career, every single person he lost to was a UFC champion at one point. I think he deserves credit. I don't know where I'd rank him. I'd have to think about it. I just think he was a fairly complete all rounder (In an era where that was still kinda rare) that had a lot of success and was at least competitive against everyone he lost to not named Anderson Silva. And perhaps Lyoto. Haven't watched that fight in a long time, but I think Rich got finished early.
 
DrRodentia said:
I dunno. Outside of Cung Le at the very end of his career, every single person he lost to was a UFC champion at one point. I think he deserves credit. I don't know where I'd rank him. I'd have to think about it. I just think he was a fairly complete all rounder (In an era where that was still kinda rare) that had a lot of success and was at least competitive against everyone he faced not named Anderson Silva.
Click to expand...
Most of his success came in the stand up. If he fought someone who is a better striker he usually would just lose, not be able to take it to the ground.
 
HHJ said:
Most of his success came in the stand up. If he fought someone who is a better striker he usually would just lose, not be able to take it to the ground.
Click to expand...
Yes, but all of those people that did beat him were UFC champions. And Cung Le. He only lost to great fighters. And Cung Le. Who was pretty awesome, too.

I don't actually care that much, I just feel like it means something.
 
I started watching Pride first so hated Franklin because he was so negative about all the Pride guys and tried for ages to duck Anderson. Imagine he said Anderson was not in the same league and had to fight his way up. As a martial artist and longterm mma fan I practically bet the house on Anderson at the time to win and made sweet money.

Maybe if I was in franklins shoes I would have done the slippery, weasle thing too or gone back to my day job as a math teacher, something in hindsight probably would have paid more over the forty years.

Think he’s still doing something for some third world mma company but don’t really care. Was just so happy at the time ti see Anderson rearrange his arrogant face and shut up all Americans.
 
tymikeson said:
he also had one of the greatest 1 punch koes of all time

giphy.gif
Click to expand...

"Quarry'd" became part of the lexicon for years after that.
 
Doctor Grudge said:
I'd go Silva, Adesanya, Weidman, Whittaker, and fifth would probably be like...Romero or Belfort. Yes, the 5th spot have warts, but they fought and performance against elite competition better than Franklin did while having a similar strength of schedule (i'd argue harder opponents since Rich fought a lot of great guys who were a bit past it).

If we're taking into account work in neighboring weight classes then Hendo would be in the top 5 of course.


Rich was really good, but no, I dont think he'd beat every 185er with one arm tied behind his back. I think when its said and done, DDP will be ranked higher than Rich if he's not already.

Rich is like a Sean Strickland level guy I think. He's a feather in any ones cap and a threat, but not super consistent (at the tippy top level) or dominating. Whenever they fight non elite guys they beat them, so they're clearly top guys, just at the bottom of that tier.
Click to expand...

Yea I’ll allow teh Chris. That’s my boy, and it’s well known. Arguments against him are the usual “fought a bunch of geezers” but that’s not his fault. Same with Stipe. However, he did dethrone the then invincible Spider which tells us that at his best, he was an absolute monster. His downturn starting with Luke was just so bad that it makes me waiver a bit. Like how did he become so bad so quickly?

I like Bobby, too. I just think he was unfortunate to have lived in the same era as Izzy. Otherwise, he’d actually have some title defenses. His title reign consisted of Yoel Romero, basically. His MW run in its entirety is quite impressive. MW was absolutely stacked back then.


I tend to weigh title defenses heavily. It just makes it easier to rack and stack in my GOAT lists. When we start delving into the Hendos and Whitakers, it’s more like these are the guys that I personally love and have always rooted for. But objectively, if they haven’t held a UFC title or had a very short, questionable reign (interim vice unified, or interim that was magically upgraded) it’s hard to objectively rank them higher imo. Hendo did hold titles in Pride, so that should count for something. Strikeforce and WEC titles should also matter. There were periods where there was excellent competition in certain weight classes outside the UFC. But I ranked hendo as an easy 3-4, so we’re somewhat in alignment there.
 
I agree Franklin tends to be overlooked. Probably also worth mentioning that he’s a smart guy (former math teacher) doing rather well for himself post-retirement (executive at significant combat sports organization).
 
Doctor Grudge said:
Rich is like a Sean Strickland level guy I think. He's a feather in any ones cap and a threat, but not super consistent (at the tippy top level) or dominating. Whenever they fight non elite guys they beat them, so they're clearly top guys, just at the bottom of that tier.
Click to expand...
Jerry Quarry was the same way, Rip
 
BowserJr said:
He is quite possibly the most underrated champion of all time. Likely cuz of the way Silva destroyed him. The guy was an absolute stud though. Even after the Silva losses he still had great wins, defeating Okami, Wanderlei 2x, Lidell and many thought he beat Hendo who was the first to unite the Pride and UFC MW belt and is/was widely regarded as the undisputed #2 MW of all time.

Wand and Chuck were subprime for sure but it's not like they no longer had power in their hands. While Rich was at the top everyone thought he had a weak chin yet he did not get KOed by any of those KO machines I mentioned.

I wish we saw him fight Bisping and Marquardt. I think he sou dly beats Bisping and Marquardt is a toss up.

Where do you have Ace In Your all time MW rankings or champion rankings?

PS
I think he would've beaten Sonnen and maybe Weidman too... he was too old when Luke came in
Click to expand...

I regard Franklin very highly and I got him as a top 5 MW all time. I think he would have done well vs Weidman, Rockhold and that era or MW.

I will go

1. Silva

Then Izzy, Weidman, Franklin, Whitaker top 5 in no order.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,280,681
Messages
58,311,301
Members
175,997
Latest member
joshvegas

Share this page

Back
Top