Rich vs. Wanderlei
The Battle at 195

This is a dangerous fight for Wanderlei. He’s been on the receiving end of a knockout shot quite a few times now. The head kick from Mirko Crocop in PRIDE started the downfall. That was way back in 2006. It should be noted that he fought Crocop (a heavyweight) in an open weight tournament bout. But then, when he fought former 185er Dan Henderson, things went the same way. Only in that fight it was an impressive series of punches (including a nifty spinning back fist) that sent Silva to the mat. That went down in 2007, at one of PRIDE’s last shows. This year he got knocked out by Rampage Jackson. Judging by how he looked when he went down, it probably felt like being hit by a truck.

Now, he’s facing a very good striker with an impressive KO highlight reel of his own. Rich Franklin’s star has lost a lot of its luster since he lost his belt to Anderson Silva. Up until that dark day in 2006 he was considered an unstoppable force in the middleweight division. Now, it’s 2009 and things are different for the former math teacher. He’s given up on being the middleweight champion (nobody but the truly sadistic wants to see Franklin vs. Silva 3) but he’s begun a new quest in the light heavyweight division. Joe Rogan has said many times that Franklin is better suited to the 205 division. The win over Matt Hamill proved he can take on the big guys at 205. He also reminded us what an accurate striker he is, via the body kick used to finish Hamill.

Speaking of weight classes, this fight will be contested at a catch weight of 195 pounds. It makes sense, given that neither man wants to completely abandon the weight class they want to stay in. The question that keeps coming up is: Who benefits more from this compromise? Rich has fought at 185 before, so doing 195 should be no problem. Wanderlei has never fought below 205 but insists that 185 is his eventual goal. It’s a good thing for him he’s getting this fight at a catch weight because first time weight-cutters are often hampered by a lack of stamina. Go watch Brandon Vera’s fight with Reese Andy to see what can happen in that situation.

It’s doubtful that this weight will offer a significant advantage to either fighter. Both guys walk around over 200 pounds anyway. However Franklin will be more accustomed to the cut and may gain a slight edge in stamina over his opponent.

Like I said, this is a risky move for Wanderlei because he’s not giving himself any “tune up” fights. Coming off a KO and going into a new weight class are two good reasons to take a fight with somebody outside the top 10. Perhaps his pride (no pun intended) is too much for him to consider that he may not be the fighter he once was. You could also blame the UFC for asking too much from their investment.

Click here to continue to Rich vs. Wanderlei pt. 2

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