The life of an MMA fighter is always difficult, but it’s particularly tough when a fighter has to deal with the kind of adversity that the UFC’s Rich Franklin has had to deal with throughout his career.
Injuries have slowed the former school teacher turned fighter in recent years, with a torn labrum being the most recent in a string of setbacks.
A former UFC middleweight champion, Franklin had it all for about a three-year window of time when he went undefeated in the Octagon as the top 185-pound fighter in the world.
Unfortunately, that success has not been quite as common in recent years, as he has struggled to stay active due to various minor injuries, as well as a move up to 205 pounds. This most recent injury has taken a toll on the former champ, but he is determined to get back in the cage as soon as possible.
“I’m healing like Wolverine,” he bragged to Inside MMA earlier this week. “Five weeks [after surgery], I’m doing really well. I won’t be able to run until January, so I’m looking at about a June [2012] return.”
Franklin was recently set to fight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 133, but Nogueira himself had to drop out of the contest due to a shoulder injury of his own.
Unable to find a suitable replacement for Franklin on such a short notice, Franklin was in turn dropped from the card as well. It was after this that “Ace” sustained his shoulder injury.
“I went into the gym last week and started doing some no-handed drills for jiu-jitsu. Movement drills off my back and stuff like that,” he continued. “I’m itching to get back in the gym, but June should be a realistic time for me.”
With his expectations of being back in June, grumblings regarding for his return fight opponent have begun. Though there is nothing official set, Franklin does have someone in mind.
“I was actually approached by the UFC a couple days after I was injured,” he continued. “They were talking about Tito [Ortiz] and I fighting. I told them, listen, ‘I’m going to have to get an MRI on my shoulder. If it’s non-surgical, then I’ll take the fight. If it is, we’ll have to look at other alternatives.’ “
“That was an appealing fight to me, so we’ll see where things are sitting, come June.”
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