BIOS

ABOUT RICH FRANKLIN

Prior to becoming a full time MMA fighter, Rich was a math teacher at Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati. He has a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Cincinnati. He first learned submission / tapout fighting from instructional video tapes. Rich prefers to finish his opponents by knockout, but is well rounded and possesses good grappling and submission / tapout skills. He trains at facilities run by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt Jorge Gurgel, (New Generation Martial Arts); Neal Rowe, a Muay Thai instructor (Sacan Martial Arts); and Rob Radford, a boxing instructor. Rich is currently ranked as a Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) under Jorge Gurgel. Franklin is a former UFC middleweight champion and is currently campaigning in the 205-pound division.

Real American Fighters

Rich has teamed up with DAV to create “Real American Fighters,” a tribute to the men and women of the US military who have been wounded in defense of our freedom. After several visits to Iraq, the Middle East and various military bases and hospitals, Rich became inspired by the courage, sacrifice and struggles of disabled veterans. To raise awareness of their cause, Rich joined forces with the DAV, the 1.2-million member non-profit organization dedicated to building better lives for America’s disabled veterans and their families. “Real American Fighters” honors our true warriors—those men and women who bear the scars of war.

PROFILE

Nickname: Ace
Height: 6 ft 1 in
Weight: 205 lb
Born October 5, 1974
Fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio
Town of birth: Cincinnati, Ohio
Fighting style: Freestyle
Mixed Martial Arts or MMA or Ultimate Fighting record:
Wins 20 Losses 3 1 No Contest