All MMA fightersRich Franklin
“Ace”
MMA · Retired29-7 (1 NC)RECORD
20KO / TKO WINS
5SUBMISSION WINS
4DECISION WINS
Profile
| Full name | Richard Jay Franklin II |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Ace |
| Date of birth | 5 Oct 1974 |
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA |
| Lives in | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA |
| Division | Middleweight / Light Heavyweight |
| Team | Team Extreme / The JG MMA and Fitness Academy |
| Height | 185 cm (6′1″) |
| Reach | 190 cm (75″) |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Years active | 1999–2012 |
| Status | Retired |
| Pro debut | 19 Jun 1999 |
| Last fight | Loss vs Cung Le, 10 Nov 2012 |
Details on this page were compiled from public information on 8 Oct 2026 (the record is as of that date). Is this you? Claim this profile to correct anything and add your photo and bio. Claim this profile
Titles and honours
- UFC middleweight champion (2005–2006)
- Two successful UFC middleweight title defenses
- UFC Hall of Fame, Pioneer wing (Class of 2019)
Background
A former high school math teacher in Ohio, he won the UFC middleweight title in 2005 by beating Evan Tanner and defended it twice before losing to Anderson Silva in 2006. He later became a vice president of ONE Championship.
Fight history
37 professional fights. Newest first.
| Result | Opponent | Method | Round | Time | Event | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Cung Le | KO (punch) | 1 | 2:17 | UFC on Fuel TV 6 | 10 Nov 2012 | Macau, China | |
| Win | Wanderlei Silva | Decision (unanimous) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 147 | 23 Jun 2012 | Belo Horizonte, Brazil | Catchweight bout |
| Loss | Forrest Griffin | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 | UFC 126 | 5 Feb 2011 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | |
| Win | Chuck Liddell | KO (punch) | 1 | 4:55 | UFC 115 | 12 Jun 2010 | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | |
| Loss | Vitor Belfort | TKO (punches) | 1 | 3:02 | UFC 103 | 19 Sep 2009 | Dallas, Texas, USA | Catchweight bout |
| Win | Wanderlei Silva | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 | UFC 99 | 13 Jun 2009 | Cologne, Germany | Catchweight bout |
| Loss | Dan Henderson | Decision (split) | 3 | 5:00 | UFC 93 | 17 Jan 2009 | Dublin, Ireland | |
| Win | Matt Hamill | TKO (kick to the body) | 3 | 0:39 | UFC 88 | 6 Sep 2008 | Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Light heavyweight bout |
| Win | Travis Lutter | TKO (punches) | 2 | 3:01 | UFC 83 | 19 Apr 2008 | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
| Loss | Anderson Silva | TKO (knees) | 2 | 1:07 | UFC 77 | 20 Oct 2007 | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA | For UFC middleweight title |
| Win | Yushin Okami | Decision (unanimous) | 3 | 5:00 | UFC 72 | 16 Jun 2007 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Win | Jason MacDonald | TKO (corner stoppage) | 2 | 5:00 | UFC 68 | 3 Mar 2007 | Columbus, Ohio, USA | |
| Loss | Anderson Silva | KO (knee) | 1 | 2:59 | UFC 64 | 14 Oct 2006 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | Lost UFC middleweight title |
| Win | David Loiseau | Decision (unanimous) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 58 | 4 Mar 2006 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | Defended UFC middleweight title |
| Win | Nate Quarry | KO (punch) | 1 | 2:34 | UFC 56 | 19 Nov 2005 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | Defended UFC middleweight title |
| Win | Evan Tanner | TKO (doctor stoppage) | 4 | 3:25 | UFC 53 | 4 Jun 2005 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA | Won UFC middleweight title |
| Win | Ken Shamrock | TKO (punches) | 1 | 2:42 | The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale | 9 Apr 2005 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | Light heavyweight bout |
| Win | Curtis Stout | TKO (submission to punches) | 2 | 1:28 | SuperBrawl 38 | 12 Dec 2004 | Honolulu, Hawaii, USA | |
| Win | Jorge Rivera | Submission (armbar) | 3 | 4:28 | UFC 50 | 22 Oct 2004 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA | Middleweight debut |
| Win | Ralph Dillon | Submission (kimura) | 1 | Alaska Fighting Championship | 14 Jul 2004 | Anchorage, Alaska, USA | ||
| Win | Leo Sylvest | TKO (submission to punches) | 1 | 1:13 | SuperBrawl 35 | 16 Apr 2004 | Honolulu, Hawaii, USA | |
| Loss | Lyoto Machida | TKO (head kick and punches) | 2 | 1:03 | Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 | 31 Dec 2003 | Kobe, Japan | Catchweight bout |
| Win | Edwin Dewees | TKO (punches and knees) | 1 | UFC 44 | 26 Sep 2003 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | ||
| Win | Roberto Ramirez | KO (punch) | 1 | 0:10 | Battleground 1: War Cry | 19 Jul 2003 | Villa Park, Illinois, USA | |
| Win | Evan Tanner | TKO (punches) | 1 | 2:40 | UFC 42 | 25 Apr 2003 | Miami, Florida, USA | UFC debut |
| Win | Antony Rea | TKO (punches) | 1 | 2:46 | UCC Hawaii: Eruption in Hawaii | 17 Sep 2002 | Honolulu, Hawaii, USA | |
| Win | Yan Pellerin | Submission (armbar) | 1 | UCC 10: Battle for the Belts 2002 | 15 Jun 2002 | Hull, Quebec, Canada | ||
| Win | Marvin Eastman | Submission (armbar) | 1 | 1:02 | World Fighting Alliance 1 | 3 Nov 2001 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | |
| Win | Dennis Reed | TKO (submission to punches) | 1 | 1:38 | Extreme Challenge: Trials | 5 Aug 2001 | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA | |
| Win | Chris Seifert | TKO (submission to punches) | 2 | 1:45 | Extreme Challenge 41 | 13 Jul 2001 | Davenport, Iowa, USA | |
| Win | Travis Fulton | TKO (broken hand) | 1 | 5:00 | Rings USA: Battle of Champions | 17 Mar 2001 | Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA | |
| No contest | Aaron Brink | No contest (accidental foot injury) | 1 | IFC Warriors Challenge 11 | 13 Jan 2001 | Fresno, California, USA | Originally ruled a TKO win; changed to no contest | |
| Win | Dennis Reed | Submission (armbar) | 1 | 1:56 | Extreme Challenge 35 | 29 Jun 2000 | Davenport, Iowa, USA | |
| Win | Gary Myers | KO (head kick) | 3 | 0:59 | World Extreme Fighting 9 | 13 May 2000 | Evansville, Indiana, USA | |
| Win | Rob Smith | TKO (punches) | 1 | 2:30 | Extreme Challenge 31 | 24 Mar 2000 | Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA | |
| Win | Eugene Pinault | TKO (submission to punches) | 1 | 1:27 | Extreme Challenge: Trials | 4 Oct 1999 | Davenport, Iowa, USA | |
| Win | Michael Martin | KO (head kick) | 1 | 0:21 | World Extreme Fighting 6 | 19 Jun 1999 | Wheeling, West Virginia, USA |