Franklin to Miss 2-3 Months with Injured Shoulder
Rich
Franklin will undergo shoulder surgery next week. | Photo: Dave
Mandel
UFC light heavyweight Rich Franklin announced Friday that he injured his shoulder 10 days ago while training and, as a result, will undergo minor surgery to repair a torn labrum on Sept. 13.
According to a release distributed by his management, “Ace” sustained the injury while participating in a routine grappling session at his gym in Cincinnati. Franklin is expected to make a full recovery in two to three months.
“The timing of this shoulder injury is unfortunate considering my fight was pulled from the UFC 133 card, but I know everything will go as planned and that I will recover quickly,” Franklin said in the release. “The UFC is being supportive, and I hope my fans also will be understanding. I promise to get back in the Octagon and fight again as soon as possible.”
Franklin was slated to square off with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 133 last month, but the Brazilian withdrew from the contest with a shoulder injury of his own. As the UFC could not find a replacement on short notice, Franklin was also taken off the card.
A former UFC middleweight champion, Franklin has done the majority of his work at light heavyweight since suffering two brutal technical knockout losses to reigning 185-pound king Anderson Silva in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Franklin, 36, has split his last six contests, knocking out light heavyweights Matt Hamill and Chuck Liddell and earning a unanimous decision over Wanderlei Silva in a 195-pound catchweight affair. Franklin’s three losses in that span came courtesy of Dan Henderson, Vitor Belfort and, most recently, Forrest Griffin at UFC 126 in February.
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