American · Cincinnati, Ohio, USA · Born 5 October 1974American UFC Middleweight Champion who won the title from Evan Tanner and defended it before losing to Anderson Silva, later becoming a UFC executive and ONE Championship figure.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Rich Franklin turned professional in 1999 while still teaching high school mathematics. He made his UFC debut in 2003 with an upset first-round TKO of Evan Tanner, a result that quickly established him as a rising force in the middleweight division. Franklin won his next six fights in the UFC, including a knockout of Ken Shamrock at The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale. In June 2005, he faced Tanner again — by then the reigning champion — at UFC 53, stopping him via doctor's stoppage to capture the UFC Middleweight Championship. He successfully defended the title once against David Loiseau before losing it to Anderson Silva in 2006. Franklin remained a fixture of the UFC's middleweight and light heavyweight divisions for years afterward, picking up notable wins over Yushin Okami, Matt Hamill, Wanderlei Silva and, in his final fight, a knockout of Chuck Liddell. He retired in 2012 with a 29-7(1) overall record, including a 14-6 UFC mark across 20 Octagon appearances. Franklin was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019 and went on to serve as a UFC vice president before becoming a prominent executive with ONE Championship in Asia.
Winning the UFC Middleweight Championship and becoming a longtime UFC and ONE Championship executive
How They Played
Well-rounded striker with strong boxing fundamentals
Lasting Impact
A respected former champion who transitioned successfully into MMA administration and business
American Athletes