Headlining Saturday’s UFC 147, mixed-martial-arts legends Wanderlei Silva and Rich Franklin did not disappoint in their main event rematch.
Both men left everything in the Octagon as their Fight-of-the-Night-winning bout salvaged a card plagued with injuries and matchup changes. But while this fight added another exciting chapter to the former champions’ history, making this series into a trilogy would be a terrible idea.
To their credit, Silva and Franklin know how to make a fight exciting, as both their catchweight wars earned fight-night bonuses.
But seeing these aging veterans go at it again would be overkill. Franklin decisively won both bouts—despite nearly being finished each time—and should not have to prove himself against Silva again.
As their careers come to a close, I don’t think either man wants to waste what little time he has left in the Octagon on a third match with no title implications.
Following Saturday’s fight, Franklin told MMAJunkie.com that he was interested in getting one more title shot before his time is up, so taking on “The Axe Murderer” again makes absolutely no sense for the former champ.
And a trilogy makes even less sense for the UFC.
Creating this rematch was likely not even on the promotion’s radar until the injury plague hit, and luckily the main event turned out spectacularly. But unless another card is in dire need of a marquee matchup, there’s just no way the UFC can sell this trilogy.
If this were another time, another era in MMA, then maybe a third fight would make sense. But with so many better fights for both guys out there, there is little sense to making Silva-Franklin III happen.
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