Franklin finds odd ally
Rich Franklin got help from an unlikely source in his preparation for today’s UFC 99 main event in Cologne, Germany.
During Franklin’s training camp, Anderson Silva contacted him and said he wanted to help him beat Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva’s Brazilian countryman and former training partner.
So Franklin went to Anderson Silva’s gym and learned lessons he hopes will translate to a victory.
Anderson Silva reportedly had a falling-out with Wanderlei Silva several years back when both trained at Chute Boxe in Brazil.
The rift apparently has intensified with Wanderlei Silva’s announcement that he was moving down from the light heavyweight division to middleweight, a weight class dominated by longtime champion Anderson Silva.
“Before, he was my friend. I trained with him for a long time,” Wanderlei said of Anderson, who is of no relation. “Then he starts talking (expletive) about me in Brazil, and I don’t know why.”
Wanderlei Silva said he thinks Anderson Silva fears his move to a division that Anderson has owned for several years.
“I think I am inconveniencing him,” Wanderlei said. “He knows he’s in trouble with me.”
Franklin, who was the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion before losing to Anderson Silva in 2006, has tried to stay out of the feud between his opponent and new training partner.
“I tried to keep myself out of any of the personal battle that was going on between the two of them,” Franklin said. “I was just looking for a good resource to use to help me prep for this fight.”
The bout will be at a catch weight of 195 pounds as Silva moves down from light heavyweight (205) to middleweight (185).
“I’m training more. I’m running more. I have (a better) diet,” Wanderlei Silva said. “I’m small for 205, and maybe a little bit big for 185, so for me, this is perfect.”
Franklin recently made the opposite move, going up from 185 to 205.
“I’ve made the decision to move to 205, and I’m happy where I am,” Franklin said. “At this point in time, I’m just interested in putting on good fights.
Franklin, 34, has had an outstanding career regardless of weight class, though his title reign came at middleweight. He is 24-4 in mixed martial arts, and his losses have come to Anderson Silva (twice), Lyoto Machida, and Dan Henderson by decision in January.
At just 32, Las Vegan Wanderlei Silva has a 32-9-1 MMA mark, with one no contest. He was one of the biggest stars of the Pride organization in Japan but has found his second stint in the UFC more difficult.
After dropping his last two fights in Pride, Silva is 1-2 in his UFC return, precipitating the drop in weight class.
Heavyweight Cain Velasquez won’t be changing divisions anytime soon. In fact, after starting his career 5-0, including three UFC wins, Velasquez has his sights squarely set on the heavyweight title.
He had been scheduled to take on Heath Herring on this card, but an injury forced a switch to Cheick Kongo on short notice.
Kongo has won three fights in a row and presents the stiffest challenge yet for Velasquez, who has been taken past the first round just once.
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic also was a late addition to the card. Another former Pride star, Filipovic has been away from the UFC for nearly two years, but he will look to avenge a disappointing stint in the organization when he faces Mostapha Al-Turk today.
Welterweights Mike Swick and Ben Saunders meet in what should be a standup slugfest.
The same could be said of the welterweight bout between Marcus Davis and Dan Hardy, who have engaged in a contentious war of words in the buildup to their bout.
Davis, an American, has played up his Irish heritage to win over fans in Europe and has fought on six cards in the United Kingdom. Hardy, of Nottingham, England, has been vocal about his displeasure with Davis and even referred to him as a “fake Irishman.”
The card will air live on pay per view at noon, with a replay beginning at 7 p.m.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.
