“they encouraged me…” “how that makes sense…” “what ever the UFC wants me to do…”

Those aren’t the words of someone who is entirely thrilled about his position.

I may have been off on my characterization of his feelings towards potentially fighting Bisping at 185, but only slightly.

However, you said “I don’t see how much longer he is going to stick around the UFC at 205 either. I see him being very bored with it,” and “He has openly stated that he did not want to fight at 205.” Neither of those are supported by those quotes.

More specifically in regards to him not sticking around the UFC at 205; the fact that Franklin said, “But anything the UFC asks me to do, I’m always on board for,” would seem to contradict that statement. That statement implies you think he would either look to fight somewhere else, or retire. You have since said you don’t think he’ll be fighting for another organization, so I guess that means you think he’ll retire… even though he has said that he thinks he’ll be fighting for at least a few more year?

“I was talking to the UFC after the second [Anderson] Silva loss and they encouraged me to move up to 205. They told me my position there would be more appealing to them from a business perspective. They weren’t interested in a third match between me and Silva and they didn’t want me fighting contenders because I could eliminate possible title fights, so I was stuck in that I was going to be fighting people on the back end of their losses to Silva and I didn’t care for that gatekeeper position. After the Travis Lutter fight, I said I would try my hand at 205 again.”

Franklin on coaching TUF 9

“I have not personally spoken to Dana, the UFC or any of the production people about [TUF 9]. Six weeks in Vegas, I’ve gotten to the point where I could care less for staying in Vegas for that period of time. It’s time away from my family and time away from doing the things I can do to make money. The show doesn’t pay very well. But anything the UFC asks me to do, I’m always on board for. I guess they would more than likely – whoever, between Dan and I wins – they’d do that fight at 185 pounds. How that makes sense to me I’m not sure, but I take it one fight at a time. So if the UFC comes to me and says, ‘We’re doing the Bisping fight at 185 pounds,’ then it is what it is.”

Nothing he has done in the 205 move has been a choice made by Franklin on his own. All of it surrounded a push from the UFC. Again I don’t say he’s leaving for another organization, I just don’t see him sitting in a weight class he doesn’t want to be in just to be there.

“I was talking to the UFC after the second [Anderson] Silva loss and they encouraged me to move up to 205. They told me my position there would be more appealing to them from a business perspective. They weren’t interested in a third match between me and Silva and they didn’t want me fighting contenders because I could eliminate possible title fights, so I was stuck in that I was going to be fighting people on the back end of their losses to Silva and I didn’t care for that gatekeeper position. After the Travis Lutter fight, I said I would try my hand at 205 again.”

Franklin on coaching TUF 9

“I have not personally spoken to Dana, the UFC or any of the production people about [TUF 9]. Six weeks in Vegas, I’ve gotten to the point where I could care less for staying in Vegas for that period of time. It’s time away from my family and time away from doing the things I can do to make money. The show doesn’t pay very well. But anything the UFC asks me to do, I’m always on board for. I guess they would more than likely – whoever, between Dan and I wins – they’d do that fight at 185 pounds. How that makes sense to me I’m not sure, but I take it one fight at a time. So if the UFC comes to me and says, ‘We’re doing the Bisping fight at 185 pounds,’ then it is what it is.”

Nothing he has done in the 205 move has been a choice made by Franklin on his own. All of it surrounded a push from the UFC. Again I don’t say he’s leaving for another organization, I just don’t see him sitting in a weight class he doesn’t want to be in just to be there.

P.s.. i want to see bj penn go at it with pulver again!

cheers to TUF this year, going to be intense.

Lesnar versus Carwin is a fight I’ve wanted to see for a long time. I would like to see Carwin and Velazquez too.

Cannot agree with Lyoto not fighting good competition plus he KO’d Franklin in a nasty way. The only reason I’d give the shot to Rampage first is because he was the champion.

If you have anything where he has stated that he doesn’t want to stay at 205, post the link, and I will read it and accept that you may have a point, but to this point I have seen nothing that would indicate that he is uninterested in fighting at 205.