UFC Middleweight Title: Can anyone dethrone Rich Franklin?

UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin has one loss in his career. That loss, two years ago this month, is to Ryoto Machida, who has fought all of his fights at heavyweight. No one at Light Heavyweight or Middleweight has come very close to beating Franklin, and you have to start to wonder if they will.

Franklin is a huge middleweight who seems to be physically bigger and stronger than everyone he faces at that weight. There was a tremendous outcry when Nate Quarry got a title shot that he wasn't ready to fight Franklin. But who is? The next in line certainly seems to be Canadian David Loiseau. The Crow might actually provide an entertaining match just because his standup may give Franklin problems. But on paper, Franklin should be able to use his takedowns and ground skills to dominate this fight. If Franklin does indeed dispatch of Loiseau, who's next? Matt Lindland, who would be the natural #1 contender is no longer with the UFC. Franklin and Jeremy Horn have trained together and are unlikely to fight. Nate Marquardt is a decent choice, but is still battling steroid allegations. Ivan Salaverry was released from his contract and is coming off a uneventful loss to Marquardt. He would need to build back up with a couple of wins. Perhaps a couple more wins from a TUF contestant like Mike Swick or Chris Leben could put them in contention, but that is a ways in the future as well. What are the other options? BJ Penn to step up a weight class? Franklin to fight at 205?

Unfortunately, Franklin's stiffest competition fights overseas in PRIDE. Dan Henderson and Murillo Bustamante, along with Anderson Silva, are the most likely candidates to beat Franklin but those aren't fights we are likely to see. Hopefully, for the UFC's sake, a contender emerges to challenge Franklin in the near future. Else we could see Franklin dominate this weight class for a long time to come.