“This is definitely a tough test to see if this weight class is going to be a good fit for me or not. I’m in the process of trying to gain weight, and that’s not all going to come in this one fight. It’s going to take me several months to continue to put weight back on to be one of the bigger competitors again at 205 pounds. I know on the spectrum of things I’m going to be smaller. I think the next couple months of my career is definitely going to answer that question…. Well, I’ll say this. Matt’s not one of the top 10 205-pound fighters.”
– Rich Franklin talks to Sherdog.com about his latest “test” in the light heavyweight division this weekend at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” that will help determine whether or not he will be successful at the heavier weight. The former middleweight champion will clash with Matt Hamill, who he considers as outside the top 10 fighters in the 205-pound division.
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It’s a stacked division so this isn’t really insulting.
I agree with you this is not insulting in the least. The LHW division just has so much talent.
Exactly. I think that Hammill has great potential and could easily move up in the ranks, but as of right now, he hasn’t been able to do so. Rich Franklin is his greatest test thus far in my opinion. He proved himself to be a great fighter when he fought Tim Boestch
Is there a reason it’s bold? Like this is huge news, Rich Franklin just made a statement everyone agrees with including the guy he made it about.
I agree with Rich, but Hamill is no doubt a threat. He just needs to become a more rounded fighter. He relies on his wrestling a little too much to convince me he’ll ever have the title.
Rich said that Hamill is not considered a top ten lhw fighter. He later went on to state that Hamill’s hearing was not very good either.
Lol- eh hem. That’s not funny. He’s not top ten, but the kid is tough as nails and has alot of potential. I’m really looking forward to this fight- Matt is not going to give up and that always makes for a good fight.
well guess what rich? youre not a top ten LHW either so stfu and fight
i agree with rich and im sure hamill does too. hamill is probably somwhere just ouside of the top 10 though.
Yea but Franklin shouldnt have mentioned that IMO. Because lets say Franklin loses? Then what? Franklin loses to a guy that he said wasnt even top 10! So why even mention rankings?
if rich loses this fight, i would look for him to move back down to 185 or retire. he can lose this fight (as long as he doesnt get demolished, wich i highly doubt) he can still move back down to 185 and have some high profile fights like hendo,bisping, fihlo.
Who would be top 10?
Forrest
Rampage
Wandi
Shogun
Thiago Silva
Lyoto Machida
Rashad Evans
Chuck Liddell
Anderson Silva (if he continues to fight there)
Who else? I wouldn’t know which fighter to add to this list….maybe Rich pending on how he fairs against Hammill. That list was in no particular order btw.
I know he’s not in the UFC but I think Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko belongs above Hammill and Jardine.
Maybe Hammill but I don’t think Jardine. But yeah I was referring to UFC light heavies.
Soon enough my boy Luis Cane will be in the top 10, and then he will move into the top 5…WATCH OUT FOR LUIS!!..
My top 10 ranked LHW in the UFC..
10-Jardine
9-Soko
8-Rashad
7-Forrest
6-Thiago
5-Wand
4-Chuck
3-Rampage
2-Machida
1-Shogun
….If I was including Anderson and Hendo, they would both make the list..Hendo sitting somewhere around 6 or 7 and Anderson definitely in the top 4 somewhere..
You would still put Shogun at number 1? I never felt he deserved number 1 in the first place, but he certainly doesn’t deserve it after getting submitted by Forrest.
I was also thinking sokudjou I thinks that how you spell his name. He is really good Judo guy very fast and explosive.
henderson for sure, he will be back at 205 at some point.
Rich Franklin isn’t top 10 either lol. My top 10 would be - and this is leaving Anderson and Henderson out - as follows:
Rampage
Griffin
Machida
Liddell
Wanderlei Silva
Thiago Silva
Keith Jardine
Sokoudjou
Rashad Evans
Brandon Vera
In the mix (in no particular order):
Matt Hamill Goran Reljic
Houston Alexander James Irvin
Rich Franklin Jon Jones
Tim Boestch Luis Cane
Stephan Bonnar Kazuhiro Nakamura
that’s 20 names just right there. I mean that’s some depth right there!
I actually just made an argument against Stagger having Shogun ranked too high, but you left him entirely. Haha. I would certainly add him to the list. Also, I would drop Vera like a hotcake.
yeah really, Vera looke terrible his last three fights, and Shogun is a beast at 205, you cant leave him out!
Jardine would probably be in the mix somewhere too. Definately above Hammill.
Oh yeah! Definitely Jardine. I didn’t even think to add him! Sad because I considered Vera and that is Veras next fight. Vera needs to prove himself but yeah I would add Jardine to that list and I think that would complete it.
I’d make the arguement that even Bonnar belongs above Hammill based on experience alone as of right now. Would probably be a good fight though.
Bonnar is another fighter that I haven’t considered. Probably because he has been out for so long. Any word on his return?
i heard october
Any possible opponents? I can’t think of anyone he could fight right now.
Jardine is top 5 imo, since he beat Liddell, its that simple.
He also beat Forrest too. But he lost to Wandi and Liddell beat Wandi and Wandi beat Rampage but Rampage beat Liddell but Liddell lost to Jardine and Jardine beat Forrest but Forest beat Rampage..AAAAAAH!
lol! mma math can cause severe brain damage.
hahaha it’s truly frustrating.
LOL funny post, Anderson Silva solves all equations haha!
Definitely not an insult from Rich. He was more or less saying that if he can’t beat Hamill convincingly, he has no business being @ 205.
I’ll laugh my ass off if hamill beats him.
Who ever said Hamill was a top 10 HW.
Certainly not me. he needs more fights before he gets there.
he will never be top 10
Yea he is way to sloppy for that.
hes right but matt def has potential to rise in the lhw hes got the tools he just needs to polish them and rich is right but come on ur not supposed to say stuff like that
THis is plain common sense. Hammil really isn’t clear cut to make it to the top ten. Top 20 maybe, but definitely not top 10!