How good was Richard “Math-Ace” Franklin?

[marvinparsons]

Prime I think he'd easily be top 10. I could see him beating Vettori, Brunson, Holland, Bisping, Rockhold/Weidman in their current form.

Don't think he fares well against Izzy, Whittaker, Gastelum, Costa, Yoel, I somehow can't remember the tall Brittish guy's name etc.

 

[Shaddows]

Rich was a known juicer.

The natural kind though!!!

 

[Flboycanscrap2]

Meh. Hendo was 39 at the time and is known for being inconsistent….fight was uneventful either way.

Why are you quoting Hendo's age like he wasn't another Couture-like ageless wonder that didn't have to rely on any athleticism, and went on the achieve significant parts of his legacy (Bisping KO, Strikeforce Belt, Fedor KO, Shogun Win x2, Fought for the UFC title) after this fight? Rich wasn't young either.

Rich out struck Hendo for 2 rounds and got jobbed.

 

[Candy Routure]

Rich was a fantastic fighter and tough as hell! He should get more credit than he does.

 

[GoGetSomeFansJon]

This. These casuals have no idea wtf they're talking about.

Silva beat Dan Henderson (PRIDE MW, WW champion, SF LHW champion, UFC legend), Damian Maia, Chael Sonnen x2, Vitor Belfort (former UFC champion, the only guy who came even close to finishing Jon Jones), Rich Franklin, Forrest Griffin (#4 LHW), Okami... but yeah, weak division.

They arent the manlets of the LW division so sherbros dont consider them to be killers

 

[ThunderStruck]

Rich was a jack of all trades, master of none. Would probly be top 5 in currently weak MW division.

The golden age of MW was when Mousasi, Silva, Weidman, Jacare, Rockhold, Hendo (albeit old), Romero, Vitor and Whittaker were all actively fighting at MW.

Rich fought before that era. But in the current era he would do good. Not champ though.

 

[LilNicky95]

Why are you quoting Hendo's age like he wasn't another Couture-like ageless wonder that didn't have to rely on any athleticism, and went on the achieve significant parts of his legacy (Bisping KO, Strikeforce Belt, Fedor KO, Shogun Win x2, Fought for the UFC title) after this fight? Rich wasn't young either.

Rich out struck Hendo for 2 rounds and got jobbed.

The natural kind though!!!

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Damn Good..

Highly underrated all time because of his 2 losses to Prime Silva.. One of my favs of the old school guys.. UFC should have kept him around in retirement..

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Prime Rich would be top 5, possibly top 3 in today’s weak MW division.

Past prime Rich (after the Silva beatings) arguably beat prime Hendo in a razor close split decision loss. Beat prime Okami, prime Louiseu, Lutter and he also has wins in LHW and Franklinweight vs Wand 2X, prime Hammill, and Chuck. One of the most underrated fighters of all time.

Peak Rich vs Whitaker would be a really fun fight..

 

[Dirge]

Prime Rich today would do quite well at MW. No shame in him losing to juiced to the gills Anderson Silva.


Rich's biggest issue at 185 was the weight cut. He was a huge 185'r but a below average sized LHW. One of those guys like Diego Sanchez that seemed almost stuck between weight classes.

 

[Poatan Power]

Citing that any fighter from previous era's would get mauled by today's fighters is disingenuous isn't it? Don't you have to pretend that they would also train in today's era and be better as a result?

Jon Jones wouldn't exist in 2001. Surprise surprise, Vitor Belfort 20 years younger would have been a different fighter today.

 

[eddymotto]

I feel like Rich being a math teacher is treated as if he won a Nobel or something.

In the real world, being a high school math teacher would not make me assume that somebody was particularly smart.

All respect to Rich and all the math teachers out there but that job does not mean you are a genius.

fun fact - one of my math teachers in high school was an ex-NASA PhD. He was really smart. For sure Rich would beat him in a fight though

 

[aali14]

He was aite, definitely nothing spectacular though

 

[pankrat]

That's the dishonest part I mentioned.
I took he mentioned Loiseau just to prove a point he fought unknowns more than anything while omitting the rest...

Rich was one of my favorite fighters. I was truly sad when he lost (and the way he lost) to Silva... both times... such a brutal ending to someone so nice!
IMO he should have been heavily marketed as the face of MMA.
Because being a teacher, it would kill the stigma (at that time) that these were cockfighting for brutes who couldn't use their brain for anything that required thoughts beyond "Me smash".

edit: Callout to @Doctor Stoppage
Maybe next time won't judge too fast whom I defend...

TS is both ignorant and dishonest probably yep
Rich has a great legacy and was definitely one of the best of his time in his weight range, but I honestly think he tends to be overrated in sherdog.
I often see him ranked as top5 or even #2 MW of all-time on these boards.
With his 8-3 record in the division, best wins Tanner and Okami in a close dec, I think that's just ridiculous.

I agree that he was a nice and articulate man and had a role on changing the public image of MMA but Im not American so that aspect of Rich is not so fond on me, where I live until few years ago it was basically an underground sport.

 

[pankrat]

Always wanted to see how he would do against Nate Marquardt….two well rounded guys with power.

Not a good match up for Marquardt imo, who was also smaller. I think Franklin keeps him at the end of his punches, Nate would probably get some TDs but not able to do it consistently imo
It'd be competitive for sure though and Nate was a great KO artist even if not that good of a striker and had tricks on the ground to finish a fight

 

[pankrat]

Why are you quoting Hendo's age like he wasn't another Couture-like ageless wonder that didn't have to rely on any athleticism, and went on the achieve significant parts of his legacy (Bisping KO, Strikeforce Belt, Fedor KO, Shogun Win x2, Fought for the UFC title) after this fight? Rich wasn't young either.

Rich out struck Hendo for 2 rounds and got jobbed.

It's a controversial decision but you can't call it a robbery. Franklin's win over Okami wasnt much more convincing.

 

[Renault]

He was a Gen 1 fighter. Evan Tanner learned to grapple by watching VHS videos and that’s how guys did things back then. He was the best before athletes showed up with an actual skilled background. Hugely tough and fought anyone. Also solid image for the sport that it needed at the time. Much respect..

 

[Drugstore Cowboy]

He's good at math.

 

[Pakman]

Good, but not great. Solid all around game, but beatable in every facet. Reached championship status due to the era he was in.

this is on point. Rich was a top guy, great, for his era. But he would be a middle of the pack type of guy now if that, he was well rounded, just not elite at anything.

 

[Street Bishop]

Better than Costa