Skip to content
TrueNorthBriefQuick, clear answers for curious Canadians
Sports

Rich Franklin

What is rich franklin?

· Sarah Mitchell

Key facts

Full name Richard Jay Franklin II[1]
Born October 5, 1974[1]
UFC title UFC Middleweight Champion[1]
UFC record 29-7-0 (1 NC)[3]
Retired September 28, 2015[1]
Current role Vice President of ONE Championship[5]

Rich Franklin is a retired American mixed martial artist who competed in the UFC, where he was a former UFC Middleweight Champion and a 2019 UFC Hall of Fame inductee as a Pioneer. [1]

Context

Rich Franklin, born Richard Jay Franklin II on October 5, 1974, is a retired American mixed martial artist who became a UFC Middleweight Champion after defeating Evan Tanner [2]. He retired from competition on September 28, 2015 [1], and was later inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as a Pioneer in 2019 [1]. Before his fighting career, Franklin taught math at Oak Hills High School [4]. He now serves as Vice President of ONE Championship [5].

Documented claims

  • Franklin won the UFC Middleweight Championship by defeating Evan Tanner. [2]
  • He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019 as a Pioneer. [1]
  • Before his MMA career, Franklin worked as a math teacher at Oak Hills High School. [4]

Questions and answers

What is Rich Franklin doing now?

Rich Franklin is currently Vice President of ONE Championship [5].

What happened to Rich Franklin in MMA?

Rich Franklin won the UFC Middleweight Championship by defeating Evan Tanner [2] and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019 [1].

Why did Rich Franklin retire?

Rich Franklin announced his retirement on September 28, 2015 [1].

Sources

  1. From Teacher To MMA Legend : The Journey of Rich "Ace" Franklin — bleacherreport.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Rich Franklin changing focus, not retiring — cincinnati.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Rich Franklin Record: 29-7-0 (1 NC) - UFC Stats — ufcstats.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. Rich Franklin (Middleweight) MMA Profile — espn.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  5. Rich Franklin Moving from Fighting to the Next Phase of Life, Building ONE FC — sports.yahoo.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Sports