Put into a position where they had nothing to lose, Rich Franklin and Wanderlei Silva put on a great show to cap off UFC 147. Both men fought their hearts out and in the end, Franklin once again found his hand raised.
The main event of UFC 147 was originally slated to be a contest between Silva and Vitor Belfort but Franklin stepped in to replace an injured Belfort. While fans complained about having to pay for a rather lackluster PPV on paper, both Franklin and Silva gave fans their money’s worth.
While fans are talking about Silva retiring, Franklin finds himself in an interesting position following his victory. He’s faced a who’s-who of former champions in the past few years but isn’t on anyone’s title contender list.
At 37, a title run isn’t likely for Franklin’s career plans but that doesn’t mean “Ace” will be stuck fighting a bunch of no-names in the future.