[putmeonhold]

Rich truely has the heart and mind of a champion and I believe he has what it takes to step into the octagon with Anderson Silva again and pull off a win. However, I believe it will come down to his MMA skills. So here's the point. I think Franklins best chance at gaining the title back lies not within his attitude, his heart, his mind or his skills. His first course of action should be to join Militich full-time. As far as I know, he still trains primarily at Gurgle's gym. I know he's been sparring with the Militich camp on occasion, and is good friends with Hughes and Sylvia, but even his web-site says he primarily trains at Gurgle's gym, Sacan Martial Arts and with Rob Radford. Militich would not change Franklin as it encompasses such a wide scope of MMA skills. It would embrace his talents and push him to the next level. But the most important thing Militich has to offer is a school attended by so many world champions versed in so many different flavours of MMA, all of whom have overcome almost impossible odds and have suffered devastating losses. Militich fighters typically have both a history of winning and avenging losses. Militich full time Franklin!!!!

 

[Bonnar426]

Agreed! No offense to Gurgel and his gym but Militech would be able to light a fire under his a$$. Look at Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar and there training methods! Forrest joined a camp full time and had a pretty successful career so far. He has somebody to drive. Bonnar on the other hand went to four different gyms and had drive insane distances to get there! Now Bonnar has one contraversial win and two loses under his belt! Joining a camp full-time does make a difference!

 

[putmeonhold]

and sorry for spelling Miletich wrong like 20 times

 

[putmeonhold]

Franklin has the toughest training out of any mma fighter in the UFC. I think that what he relys on most. Maybe he just lacks the natural skill. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying he should quit, but when someone with great cardio and decent standup, goe up against a guy with grat cartio and great standup........well, you see my point.

Well first off I'm willing to bet you that Rich's cardio is better than Sylva's. And besides - Practically every one at Miletich is a cardio freak. Did you see Sylvia 's stomach during his last AA fight? And Rich knows his workout routines by now, he could still repeat it at the Miletich camp. I mean, it's like the goddamn champions club, you know what I mean? He has the heart skill and drive. What he needs now are resources and no other gym is going to give him such a deep pool of experienced fighters to rely on. he needs to be pushed. Gurgle and all them have done all they can for Rich. He needs to train with elites if he wants to be #1

 

[putmeonhold]

I mean does it not just make sense?? Miletich fighters are the toughest s.o.b.'s out there. Miletich fighters are champions. Miletich fighters are the smartest fighters out there. Miletich fighters are cardio freaks. Franklin is also all of these things!!!!!!!!!! It only makes sense. Plus he believes in God too:laugh::laugh::laugh:

 

[ZZtigerZZ81]

I really don't think his workout routine is in question. Cardio certainly wasn't a factor in that fight. Franklin's strategy was completely flawed. I have never seen him out clinch anyone. Where the hell did he get the idea he could out clinch Silva?...I'll tell ya where. That loser Jorge Gurgel. That's where. The guy loses all of his fights and then says it is because he has a bad knee. He needs to drop Gurgel and find someone that was smart enough to tell him to shoot and ground and pound or someone that could at least teach him to get out of the MT clinch.

 

[WandyBJPenn]

Oh yea...Silva has great cardio. If you were to see him in the Pride fights, he doesn't get winded towards the end. Plus he takes his time, and doesn't bombard the opponent to where it gasses him. He measures out his tank like a true (well-trained) fighter should do. So I honestly don't think Silva has a problem or has less stamina than Franklin.

 

[dutch sauce]

there cardioes are real close

 

[JWangSDC]

Well first off I'm willing to bet you that Rich's cardio is better than Sylva's. And besides - Practically every one at Miletich is a cardio freak. Did you see Sylvia 's stomach during his last AA fight? And Rich knows his workout routines by now, he could still repeat it at the Miletich camp. I mean, it's like the goddamn champions club, you know what I mean? He has the heart skill and drive. What he needs now are resources and no other gym is going to give him such a deep pool of experienced fighters to rely on. he needs to be pushed. Gurgle and all them have done all they can for Rich. He needs to train with elites if he wants to be #1

The other person meant that Rich's cardio IS above Silva's. He's just saying perhaps Silva is just more talented (naturally or however else). His point was that even the best camp can't make a mediocre/good fighter better than a great fighter. (And it is true that Rich Franklin's strongest attribute does appear to be how well he takes care of his body and how dilligent he is about his training. So while joining a camp full time makes a huge difference, if there's any fighter out there who it won't benefit, that fighter in Rich Franklin)

As for team Miletich, Spencer Fischer is the most impressive fighter IMO. Tim Sylvia is a big oaf that takes advantage of his size and luck. Arlovski owned him once, then Sylvia got lucky and capitalized on a mistake by AA, and the third fight Sylvia got lucky that AA broke his own leg. Again, please don't think I'm talking shit about Tim Sylvia, I am not. he is one tough guy with strong strikes. He is just not above and beyond and he in no way dominated every match that came his way.

Hughes is the same deal. Hughes reign is going to come to an end, he's lucky it lasted this long. Hughes faught Sherk and came out the winner in that bout; but Hughes had the clear advantage in that fight anyway. He had better reach and wrestling is his thing. Even then; Sherk seemed too meek the first 3 rounds but held his own and arguably won the last two. Vs GSP the first time hughes was also losing, but then capitalized on a HUGE mistake by GSP. Sure capitalizing on mistakes is what makes you the champion; but it was uncharacteristic of GSP to make such a mistake. That is what makes hughes lucky.

Vs BJ penn hughes was getting SLAUGHTERED until BJ separated his own rib; hughes didnt' have a prayer except for that. Who else does miletich have?

It would still be great for Rich to join Miletich fulltime and I think it would be a benefit to both the camp itself and Rich Franklin; but I do not think it's "all he needs to beat Silva". Anderson has trained over @ chutebox and with Brazilian top team...those organizations are INSANE.

In conclusion, I love Rich Franklin and think he's one hell of a fighter but there is nothing out there that will easily grant him the win. He's a champion and will be back better than ever; but Silva is a specimen and it's going to be hard as hell for him to get that belt back. The best bet would be to ship him over to Russia for 5 months and have Fedor train him. Only then would my money be confidently on Rich.

 

[anton]

i have a feeling silva's gonna have the belt for a looooong time...

franklin pretty much has to start from the bottom now, im think swick will get a shot at silva but that could be a massacre like the franklin fight was.

 

[JWangSDC]

Something else I forgot to mention was how SHOCKED I was that Rich wanted to trade with Silva.

Rich is one of the smartest fighters out there; what on earth made him think that standing and trading with Silva was the right move? It's things like that which make me shake my head @ Franklin, Hughes and Sylvia. They all seem to think that way; and up until now I thought it was exclusive to Hughes and Sylvia.

Silva's record shows you either get him to kick you in the face while you are on the ground and win by DQ or you submit him. Why would Franklin purposely trade with him? That was seriously shocking to me. With his thinkin like that, he was in for a rude awakening no matter what. This is the type of thinking Sylvia, Hughes and miletich boys generally have. Sylvia thinks he dominated AA on his feet etc etc. He stated he blocked his leg kicks and thats why AA stopped throwing them...that dude needs a reality check, in fact it was AA's broken leg that won the match for him, not his mediocre to bad strategy.

Hughes is the exact same way. With his "I told you so" after BJ Penn injured himself. His gameplan was to wear BJ down, but if BJ didnt' injure himself its likely 2 things would have happened. BJ would have submitted him in the 2nd round; or BJ would have gone the distance and won a decision. These UFC champions are in for the rudest awakening of their lives. The only two belt holders that don't seem to be disillusioned are Chuck liddel and Sean Sherk, mind you they are also the only two belt holders who are not at miletich. Chuck knows he's at the top of his game and just wants to fight the best out there. How would he have fared vs Wanderlei? No one can know for sure, but no one can fault him for wanting to strike with Silva. Why? Because even though striking is Silva's strength, he has an unorthodox wild haymaker style, Chuck could easily land a counter punch KO.

Mark my words now...They are all losing their belts. Hughes is losing his and once a good Heavyweight contender comes around Sylvia's going to lose his belt as well. Put him up against Mark Hunt, Crocop, Fedor, SHOGUN, or almost any pride fighter and I have a hard time he'll do anything but die.

 

[theboz19]

Now that FRanklin lost it seems like everyone wins, fans included. We get to see Rich's comeback fights, which he'll probably slaughter everyone he fights, and we get to see anderson demolish some people. Whoever those people may be. Plus, this can only improve the Ufc in general because they will have to bring in some more talent of Andersons level. You can only watch Anderson win for so long before theres a serious contender. Oh yeah, and Swick doesn't count, he'll only serve as a stepping stone on Rich's way back to the top.

Is Rich the "gatekeeper" of the middleweights now? Dana White has to love the flexibility he now has with Rich. When Tito gets rocked by Chuck again he can set up a Franklin/Ortiz fight at LHW. Or he can let Rich fight Swick to see if Swick is ready for Silva and let the winner face Silva.

A 2nd Silva/Franklin should be better. Franklin knows how strong he is now and won't be surpised. I was shocked that he couldn't get his own clinch or break Silvas clinch. He should've jumped into guard or something.

 

[theboz19]

Something else I forgot to mention was how SHOCKED I was that Rich wanted to trade with Silva.

Rich is one of the smartest fighters out there; what on earth made him think that standing and trading with Silva was the right move? It's things like that which make me shake my head @ Franklin, Hughes and Sylvia. They all seem to think that way; and up until now I thought it was exclusive to Hughes and Sylvia.

Silva's record shows you either get him to kick you in the face while you are on the ground and win by DQ or you submit him. Why would Franklin purposely trade with him? That was seriously shocking to me. With his thinkin like that, he was in for a rude awakening no matter what. This is the type of thinking Sylvia, Hughes and miletich boys generally have. Sylvia thinks he dominated AA on his feet etc etc. He stated he blocked his leg kicks and thats why AA stopped throwing them...that dude needs a reality check, in fact it was AA's broken leg that won the match for him, not his mediocre to bad strategy.

Hughes is the exact same way. With his "I told you so" after BJ Penn injured himself. His gameplan was to wear BJ down, but if BJ didnt' injure himself its likely 2 things would have happened. BJ would have submitted him in the 2nd round; or BJ would have gone the distance and won a decision. These UFC champions are in for the rudest awakening of their lives. The only two belt holders that don't seem to be disillusioned are Chuck liddel and Sean Sherk, mind you they are also the only two belt holders who are not at miletich. Chuck knows he's at the top of his game and just wants to fight the best out there. How would he have fared vs Wanderlei? No one can know for sure, but no one can fault him for wanting to strike with Silva. Why? Because even though striking is Silva's strength, he has an unorthodox wild haymaker style, Chuck could easily land a counter punch KO.

Mark my words now...They are all losing their belts. Hughes is losing his and once a good Heavyweight contender comes around Sylvia's going to lose his belt as well. Put him up against Mark Hunt, Crocop, Fedor, SHOGUN, or almost any pride fighter and I have a hard time he'll do anything but die.

Do you feel the same way about Fedor that you do about Hughes? Fedor was getting rocked by Coleman, Randleman, Fujita, and Cro-Cop before pulling out victories. That's what champions do.

 

[AxL]

hughes is the only thing that makes militech camp credible. silivia is an oaf and doesmt even have enough self respect to know when to promote himself and when to promote his team mates. Matt is the modern day royce graycie and if you cant respect that then you cant respect mma.
frankilin needs some time to regroup, he'll be back. there is nothing sadder than a guy who claims to know his shit and then sells a guy out after one loss. losing is part of the game. get out of your mothers basement and get a life and ya just might find that out for yourself. all he needs is time to study the fight and to learn from his mistakes if he cant do that then your right he is finished. but i think he has many fights left in him...........

 

[Organik]

Do you feel the same way about Fedor that you do about Hughes? Fedor was getting rocked by Coleman, Randleman, Fujita, and Cro-Cop before pulling out victories. That's what champions do.

getting rocked is different then completly owning a fighter for 2 rounds

 

[JWangSDC]

Do you feel the same way about Fedor that you do about Hughes? Fedor was getting rocked by Coleman, Randleman, Fujita, and Cro-Cop before pulling out victories. That's what champions do.

Except Fedor has never lost(barring that freakish cut). What looks like "getting" rocked to us, was Fedor just not having his way yet. It's very different...we've already seen BJ penn choke matt hughes out and then win. When Fedor was suplexed by randleman...he was not getting owned. Fedor even said he gets hit that hard in practice and it was no big deal. Huge difference guy...Think for a second.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Yeah, the biggest shock was when I saw Rich unable/not trying to break that clinch after taking a good knee or two. Rich said he thought the clinch would be a good weapon for him, but Silva is trained in Muay Thai IIRC. Seemed like Rich was not himself, even walking to the ring, and his nose paid a heavy price for it.