Rich Franklin Discusses UFC 68 & More.

By UFC Junkie

Just three days from now, former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin (20-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) will make his much-anticipated return to action. Pitted against Jason MacDonald (18-7 MMA, 2-0 UFC) — one of the middleweight division’s biggest surprises as of late — the Cincinnati native will be a top draw at UFC 68’s Columbus, Ohio event.

The former champ, fighting for the first time since a first-round KO loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 64, has actually fought just twice in the past 16 months. He’s spent a lot of that time recovering from injuries suffered in a unanimous-decision win over David Loiseau (UFC 58) and his unsuccessful title defense with Silva.

I recently got a quick chat with Franklin and discussed all of the major topics.

UFCjunkie.com: I’d like to start with UFC 68. Was there a concerted effort on the UFC’s part to get you on the fight card since it was in Ohio?
Franklin: I believe there was an effort on their part. After my last fight, I wanted to fight on the SuperBowl card, but they pushed me back until this show.

UFCjunkie.com: Some fans are saying Jason MacDonald is a “warm-up” match for you, though his last two fights seem to suggest otherwise. Are you content with the matchup?
Franklin: I have never viewed MacDonald as a warm-up match. I think he has proven he deserves to be in the UFC. I like the matchup. However, I do need to stay alert on the ground to keep out of his submissions.

UFCjunkie.com: Is “ring rust” a real thing? I don’t think people realize that you’ve fought just twice in 16 months. How does that affect you mentally and physically — or does it at all?
Franklin: I began wondering how much ring rust played into my last fight. I am not sure whether it affects a fighter or not. If it was an issue last time, I do not look for it to be this time.

UFCjunkie.com: Obviously, we don’t want you to give away a detailed game plan, but while preparing for this fight, what kinds of things do you have to consider? What strengths of MacDonald’s do you have to prepare for?
Franklin: His height and solid jiu jitsu game are my primary concerns in this fight.

UFCjunkie.com: Did you ever imagine fighting in an event so close to home? How many friends and family are making the trip to Columbus? Is there any more or less pressure when you have so many supporters there?
Franklin: I never thought I would have the chance to fight in a UFC event in front of my hometown crowd. I don’t feel any added pressure. I figure all the people coming to the fight would be watching on television anyway. I think everyone I know and everyone who claims to know me will be there.

UFCjunkie.com: After your loss to Anderson Silva, did you feel like a lot of fans jumped off your bandwagon? Do you think MMA fans are any more fickle than any other sport?
Franklin: In every sport, some fans are die-hard and some are fair-weather. That’s just how it goes, and the mixed reaction was of no surprise to me.

UFCjunkie.com: I know it’s been discussed a lot, so we’ll just ask for the short answer. What are your plans for getting the title back? Personally, when will you feel ready for a title shot?
Franklin: I’m not sure what the UFC’s plans are for my next title shot. I will fight whoever they put in front of me, whether a belt is on the line or not. Make no mistake though: I have a fight on my hands March 3 first.

UFCjunkie.com: What’s your current contract status? How many fights do you have remaining on your current deal?
Franklin: I have three fights left on my contract, including this upcoming one.

UFCjunkie.com: Have you thought long-term about retirement?
Franklin: I really don’t have any idea when I will retire. That will primarily depend on how I feel at the time I give it any thought.

UFCjunkie.com: Other than Silva, who do you personally see as the division’s top contenders?
Franklin: Mike Swick and Nate Marquardt. And you never know who will come in from another organization.

UFCjunkie.com: Is there a realistic possibility of you ever moving up to light heavyweight at this point in time? If the right matchup came along, would you consider it?
Franklin: I will never say never, but I first need to focus on getting on a winning track again. Before I would even consider 205, I have a title to win back first.

UFCjunkie.com: Have you noticed a spike in your own popularity when you’re just out running errands? Are more people recognizing you out in public as a UFC fighter?
Franklin: Yes. I had a local news station doing a story on me a couple of weeks ago. They asked what angle I would like the story to come from. I told them it really didn’t matter, because every time they put me on the news, it just makes it that much more difficult for me to go to the mall.

UFCjunkie.com: Do you ever regret giving up teaching to do MMA full-time? Did you make the right career choice?
Franklin: I have no regrets.

UFCjunkie.com: When you’re done fighting, do you plan to stay involved in the sport? You’d seem to be a good broadcaster. Would that interest you? How about coaching or training?
Franklin: I think about this all the time, and I’m yet to come up with a conclusion myself. However, both of those are options I have considered.

UFCjunkie.com: How’s the clothing line coming along? I’m seeing American Fighter shirts everywhere these days.
Franklin: American Fighter is expanding. I believe the clothing is popular, and we are beginning to tap into other merchandise.

UFCjunkie.com: Will you be making any appearances or doing photos and autograph sessions anytime before or after the fight while in Columbus?
Franklin: I will be at the Arnold Classic Sunday. American Fighter will have a booth there, and both Tim Sylvia and I will be available for autographs with fans.