Rich Franklin “Ace”

Photo of Rich Franklin
Team Team Extreme
Age 49
Gender Male
Height 6' 1"
Weight Class Middleweight

Prior to becoming a full time MMA fighter, Rich Franklin was a math teacher. He started learning submission fighting from instructional videos and then trained with Meat Truck Inc. and then under Matt "The Wizard" Hume. Franklin is currently ranked as a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. After having a record of 17 wins and 1 loss, Franklin won the UFC Middleweight Championship on June 4, 2005 against Evan Tanner. His victory led to his being a coach (along with welterweight champion Matt Hughes) on the second season of the reality series, The Ultimate Fighter.

Professional Career Statistics

Pro Record 28-7-0 (Win-Loss-Draw)
Career Length 4 months, 22 days
Rounds Fought 52.9
Avg. Fights/Year 2.7
Longest Layoff 1 year, 4 months, 17 days
Quickest Turnaround 1 month, 12 days

Record BreakDown

- KO/TKO SUB DEC
Wins 14 10 4
Losses 5 0 2
Finish Rate 85.7%
Finished Rate 71.4%
Win by Decision Rate 14.3%
Loss by Decision Rate 28.6%
Win by KO Rate 50.0%
Loss by KO Rate 71.4%
Win by SUB Rate 35.7%
Loss by SUB Rate 0.0%
Win Method
Loss Method

Quick Hits

Fastest Win 10
Fastest KO 10
Fastest SUB 01:13
Ave. Rounds (Ws) 1.5
Ave. Length of Fight (Ws) 07:27
Ave. Rounds (Ls) 1.4
Ave. Length of Fight (Ls) 07:12
Finish Rounds
Finished Rounds

Official Professional MMA Fight Record

Date Opponent Weightclass Method Round Time
OFF 11/10/2012 L
(28-6-0)
Cung Le
(9-3-0)
MW
( 185.0 vs. 186.0 )
KO (Strike)
UFC on Fuel 6
1 02:17
OFF 06/23/2012 W
(27-6-0)
Wanderlei Silva
(36-13-1)
LHW
( 190.0 vs. 188.0 )
Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC 147: Silva vs Franklin II
5 05:00
OFF 02/05/2011 L
(27-5-0)
Forrest Griffin
(19-7-0)
LHW
( 203.0 vs. 205.0 )
Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC 126: Belfort vs. Silva
3 05:00
OFF 06/12/2010 W
(26-5-0)
Chuck Liddell
(21-9-0)
LHW
( 205.0 vs. 205.0 )
KO (Strike)
UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin
1 04:55
OFF 09/19/2009 L
(26-4-0)
Vitor Belfort
(26-14-0)
LHW
( 195.0 vs. 196.0 )
TKO/RSC (Referee Stoppage from Strikes)
UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort
1 03:02
OFF 06/13/2009 W
(25-4-0)
Wanderlei Silva
(36-13-1)
LHW
( 194.0 vs. 194.0 )
Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC 99: The Comeback
3 05:00
OFF 01/17/2009 L
(25-3-0)
Dan Henderson
(32-15-0)
LHW
( 203.0 vs. 202.0 )
Decision (Split Decision)
UFC 93: Franklin vs Henderson
3 05:00
OFF 09/06/2008 W
(24-3-0)
Matt Hamill
(12-8-0)
LHW TKO/RSC (Referee Stoppage)
UFC 88: Breakthrough
3 00:39
OFF 04/19/2008 W
(23-3-0)
Travis Lutter
(10-6-0)
MW
( 185.5 vs. 185.0 )
TKO/RSC (Referee Stoppage from Strikes)
UFC 83: Serra vs. St. Pierre 2
2 03:01
OFF 10/20/2007 L
(23-2-0)
Anderson Silva
(34-11-0)
MW
( 184.0 vs. 184.5 )
TKO/RSC
UFC 77 Hostile Territory
2 01:07
OFF 06/16/2007 W
(22-2-0)
Yushin Okami
(36-16-0)
MW
( 185.0 vs. 185.0 )
Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC 72: Victory
3 05:00
OFF 03/03/2007 W
(21-2-0)
Jason Macdonald
(23-16-0)
MW
( 185.0 vs. 183.5 )
TKO/RSC (Corner Stoppage)
UFC 68: The Uprising
2 05:00
OFF 10/14/2006 L
(21-1-0)
Anderson Silva
(34-11-0)
MW
( 185.0 vs. 185.0 )
TKO/RSC (Referee Stoppage)
UFC 64: Unstoppable
1 02:59
OFF 03/04/2006 W
(20-1-0)
David Loiseau
(23-11-0)
MW
( 185.0 vs. 185.0 )
Decision (Unanimous Decision)
UFC 58: USA vs. Canada
5 05:00
OFF 11/19/2005 W
(19-1-0)
Nate Quarry
(13-4-0)
MW
( 183.5 vs. 185.0 )
KO
UFC 56: Full Force
1 02:34
OFF 06/04/2005 W
(18-1-0)
Evan Tanner
(32-8-0)
MW TKO/RSC (Doctor Stoppage)
UFC 53: Heavy Hitters
4 03:45
OFF 04/09/2005 W
(17-1-0)
Ken Shamrock
(28-17-2)
LHW
( 203.5 vs. 202.5 )
TKO/RSC
UFC: The Ultimate Fighter Finale
1 02:44
NRB 12/11/2004 W
(16-1-0)
Curtis Stout
(10-12-1)
Submission (Punches)
Superbrawl 38
2 01:28
OFF 10/22/2004 W
(15-1-0)
Jorge Rivera
(19-9-0)
Submission (Arm Bar)
UFC 50: The War of '04
3 04:28
NRB 07/14/2004 W
(14-1-0)
Ralph Dillon
(0-2-1)
Submission (Leylock)
Alaska Fighting Championship 1
1 02:55
NRB 04/16/2004 W
(13-1-0)
Leo Sylvest
(10-26-0)
Submission (Strikes)
Superbrawl 35
1 01:13
NRB 12/31/2003 L
(13-0-0)
Lyoto Machida
(26-11-0)
TKO/RSC (Punches)
Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003
2 01:03
OFF 09/26/2003 W
(12-0-0)
Edwin Dewees
(38-18-0)
LHW
( 204.0 vs. 198.0 )
TKO/RSC (Referee Stoppage from Strikes)
UFC 44: Undisputed
1 03:35
NRB 07/19/2003 W
(11-0-0)
Roberto Ramirez
(2-12-0)
KO (Punch)
Battleground 1: War Cry
1 00:10
NRB 04/25/2003 W
(10-0-0)
Evan Tanner
(32-8-0)
TKO/RSC (Strikes)
UFC 42: Sudden Impact
1 02:20
NRB 09/17/2002 W
(9-0-0)
Antony Rea
(31-15-0)
KO
Universal Combat Challenge: Eruption in Hawaii
1 02:46
NRB 06/15/2002 W
(8-0-0)
Yan Pellerin
(10-13-0)
Submission (Arm Bar)
Universal Combat Challenge 10: Battle for the Belts 2002
1 03:12
NRB 11/03/2001 W
(7-0-0)
Marvin Eastman
(18-15-1)
Submission (Arm Bar)
World Fighting Alliance 1
1 00:00
NRB 08/25/2001 W
(6-0-0)
Dennis Reed
(47-61-1)
Submission (Strikes)
Extreme Challenge Trials: August 2001
1 01:38
NRB 07/13/2001 W
(5-0-0)
Chris Seifert
(12-7-0)
Submission (Punches)
Extreme Challenge 41
2 01:45
NRB 03/17/2001 W
(4-0-0)
Travis Fulton
(255-54-8)
TKO/RSC (Didn't Answer the bell for Round 2)
Rings USA: Battle of Champions
1 05:00
NRB 01/13/2001 Unknown
(4-0-0)
Aaron Brink
(27-27-0)
Unknown (Foot Caught in the Fence)
International Fighting Championship: Warriors Challenge 11
1 00:00
NRB 06/29/2000 W
(3-0-0)
Dennis Reed
(47-61-1)
Submission (Arm Bar)
Extreme Challenge 35
1 01:56
NRB 05/13/2000 W
(2-0-0)
Gary Myers
(13-10-1)
KO (Kick)
World Extreme Fighting 9: World Class
3 00:59
NRB 03/25/2000 W
(1-0-0)
Rob Smith
(17-13-1)
Submission (Strikes)
Extreme Challenge 31
1 02:30
NRB 06/19/1999 W
(0-0-0)
Michael Martin
(0-2-0)
KO (Round house Kick to the Head)
World Extreme Fighting 6
1 00:15

* Bouts marked with 'OFF' denote results which have been verified by an ABC-recognized athletic commission. Bouts marked with an SB denote bouts overseen by a duly-recognized sanctioning organization. Bouts marked NRB denote non-regulated bouts.

* Bouts marked with an (*) are considered exhibition bouts and do not count towards the fighter's record

* Weights marked with an (*) denote those over the limit for the weight class

Amateur Career Statistics

AM Record 1-1-0 (Win-Loss-Draw)
Career Length 3 months, 9 days
Rounds Fought 0.9
Avg. Fights/Year 8.0
Longest Layoff 3 months, 9 days
Quickest Turnaround 3 months, 9 days

Record BreakDown

- KO/TKO SUB DEC
Wins 0 1 0
Losses 1 0 0
Finish Rate 100.0%
Finished Rate 100.0%
Win by Decision Rate 0.0%
Loss by Decision Rate 0.0%
Win by KO Rate 0.0%
Loss by KO Rate 100.0%
Win by SUB Rate 100.0%
Loss by SUB Rate 0.0%
Win Method
Loss Method

Quick Hits

Fastest Win 01:27
Fastest KO -
Fastest SUB 01:27
Ave. Rounds (Ws) 0.5
Ave. Length of Fight (Ws) 01:27
Ave. Rounds (Ls) 0.4
Ave. Length of Fight (Ls) 01:07
Finish Rounds
Finished Rounds

Official Amateur MMA Fight Record

Date Opponent Weightclass Method Round Time
NRB 10/04/1999 W
(0-1-0)
Eugene Pinault
(0-2-0)
Submission (Strikes)
Extreme Challenge Trials: October 1999
1 01:27
NRB 06/25/1999 L
(0-0-0)
Mike McCormick
(1-2-0)
TKO/RSC (Injury)
Extreme Challenge Trials
1 01:07

* Bouts marked with 'OFF' denote results which have been verified by an ABC-recognized athletic commission. Bouts marked with an SB denote bouts overseen by a duly-recognized sanctioning organization. Bouts marked NRB denote non-regulated bouts.

* Bouts marked with an (*) are considered exhibition bouts and do not count towards the fighter's record

* Weights marked with an (*) denote those over the limit for the weight class