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Globe-trotting Franklin headed to Ireland for UFC 93
Friday, January 09, 2009
WEST CHESTER — For a guy who competes only three or four times a year, UFC veteran Rich Franklin can't seem to catch a breather.
Since his victory over fellow Cincinnati native Matt Hamill at September's UFC 88 event, Franklin has constantly been on the go, crisscrossing the globe and rarely getting a day to himself.
Welcome to the world of an elite mixed-martial-arts fighter.
So as Franklin (24-3) prepares for his Jan. 17 UFC 93 main-event fight with Dan Henderson (23-7), it's only fitting the event takes place overseas in Dublin, Ireland — 3,500 miles from home.
"I got stitched up in Atlanta that night and then came home the next day," Franklin said of his most recent fight. "After a day and a half, I flew out and did my military tour in Bahrain in the Persian Gulf (to visit U.S. troops). And then I was home for a few weeks."
"Home," though, doesn't necessarily mean lounging around the house.
"Home for me is like, 'OK, fly to this place. Go to this place. Make this appearance and then fly to this place to go visit this business. Go back home, and then fly here and take care of this business thing,' " Franklin said Thursday. "That's home for me."
Despite the hustle and bustle and endless appearances and seminars and his training camp in Seattle with Matt Hume, Franklin is adamant that his fight preparations remain a priority. After all, on the highest level of MMA, three to four months of training is needed for each fight.
And this one's a big one.
It's the first UFC event of the year and the first-ever UFC show in Ireland. Additionally, the main-even winner will immediately fly to Las Vegas to coach opposite Michael Bisping on the UFC's upcoming "U.S. vs. U.K." version of its popular reality series, "The Ultimate Fighter."
For such a monumental event, the UFC needed a big headline fight — and a proven pay-per-view headliner such as Franklin.
"I knew it was important when (UFC President) Dana White and (UFC co-owner) Lorenzo Fertitta were the ones to call me about the fight," Franklin joked. "But I had heard the rumors that they wanted that fight, so I said, 'Don't worry, guys. I'm taking it.' "
If victorious, Franklin, a former high-school math teacher, will be a "TUF" coach for the second time. He and Matt Hughes were coaches on the second season, but back then, the show was still new and ground-breaking, and it introduced the celebrity coaches to slews of new fans.
"It's not like that anymore," Franklin said. "Anybody who watches the show now probably already knows who I am."
Not to mention, the coaching gig would mean another six weeks away from home.
Still, Franklin enjoys teaching the young fighters who compete on the show. And if that weren't enough, UFC officials usually give each coach a nice parting gift, such as the new Hummer H2 Franklin got after Season Two.
This time the jetlagged fight veteran would hope for something other than a car.
"If I beat Dan and coach on the show, maybe this time they'll give me a nice vacation on a quiet and relaxing beach in Brazil," he said.
UFC 93: Franklin vs. Henderson
What: UFC event headlined by Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson
When: Jan. 17
Where: The O2 in Dublin, Ireland
TV: Pay per view ($44.95); 3 p.m. (or on delay at 10 p.m.)
More info: UFC.com or MMAjunkie.com
