Rich Franklin
Active 2003–present · rated in 1 edition · peak overall 81.0
Scouting report
Rich Franklin was born in Cincinnati in 1974, earned a degree in mathematics and a master's in education from the University of Cincinnati, and taught math at Oak Hills High School before turning pro. He won the UFC middleweight title by beating Evan Tanner at UFC 53 on June 4, 2005 and defended it against Nate Quarry and David Loiseau. Anderson Silva stopped him in round one at UFC 64 on October 14, 2006 and again in round two at UFC 77. He retired on September 28, 2015.
Peak ratings
Rich Franklin: a math teacher who held the middleweight title for 16 months
Franklin beat Tanner at UFC 42 and Edwin Dewees at UFC 44 on his way up, and he armbarred Jorge Rivera at UFC 50 and stopped Ken Shamrock in round one at the TUF 1 Finale. He broke his left hand early in round two at UFC 58 against Loiseau, needed surgery with a plate and screws, and was out about six months. His career finished 29-7 with one no contest. He joined ONE Championship as a vice president in May 2014 and entered the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019.
Franklin, one rating at a time
Boxing. 82. Quarry was knocked out in round one at UFC 56, and Chuck Liddell by a round-one knockout at UFC 115 in June 2010.
Kickboxing. 80. Matt Hamill was stopped by a body kick in round three at UFC 88.
Wrestling. 76. Anderson Silva stopped him in both of their fights.
BJJ. 76. He armbarred Rivera in round three at UFC 50.
Strength. 78. Yushin Okami lost a unanimous decision to him at UFC 72, and Wanderlei Silva lost two, at UFC 99 and UFC 147.
Durability. 80. Liddell's head kick broke his left forearm at UFC 115, and the fracture did not need surgery.
Cardio. 82. He fought Wanderlei Silva at a 195 pound catchweight at UFC 99 and won a unanimous decision.
Fight IQ. 82. After the Silva losses he trained with Matt Hume in Seattle, and he earned a black belt in jiu-jitsu under Jorge Gurgel on October 11, 2014.
Balanced ratings and a long list of ranked opponents
Nothing on his card is below 76, and most of it sits at 80 or 82. He beat Tanner twice, Quarry, Loiseau, Shamrock, Rivera, Okami, Travis Lutter, Hamill, Wanderlei Silva twice and Liddell. Travis Lutter was stopped in round two at UFC 83. For a draft, he is a sound middle pick.
The losses to Anderson Silva and the end of the career
Silva stopped him with knees in round one and a TKO in round two. Dan Henderson won a split decision at UFC 93, Vitor Belfort stopped him in round one at UFC 103, and Forrest Griffin won a unanimous decision at UFC 126. His last fight was a first-round knockout loss to Cung Le at UFC on Fuel TV 6. He suffered a nasal fracture against Silva in 2006. A finisher in another slot covers the gap.
Keep exploring
Closest middleweight profiles to Rich Franklin, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Alan Belcherbest kickboxing 82 · weakest wrestling 72
- Brad Tavaresbest durability 82 · weakest bjj 70
- Darren Tillbest boxing 87 · weakest bjj 72
- Wanderlei Silvabest boxing 86 · weakest wrestling 70
- Middleweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Rich Franklin's strongest attribute, Boxing.
Draft Rich Franklin into your build
Rich Franklin enters the pool on any spin landing on middleweight between 2010 and 2013. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Rich Franklin is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Rich Franklin's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.