The Path to Redemption: Rich Franklin vs Travis Lutter at UFC 83

It’s always a little clichéd to call a fighter’s next match the most important of his life. But in the cases of Rich Franklin and Travis Lutter, nothing could be closer to the truth.

Both are coming off a loss to the UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. While losing to Silva is not shameful in itself, they have been put into a compromised position due to their circumstances.

Lutter had won the Ultimate Fighter 4 tournament and was guaranteed a title shot against Silva last year. However, he embarrassingly did not make the required weight, and the bout was turned into a three-round non-title match-up. He was submitted in the second round.

This blunder did not leave a good impression on fans, who booed him on his way to the cage. Lutter feels that he disrespected the MMA community and especially Dana White by not making weight, and thinks that some people still hold a grudge against him.

Referring to the upcoming Franklin fight, he said, “I guess I’m gonna get booed pretty good again.” Yet Lutter arguably fared better than anyone else against Silva in the UFC, taking the fight into the second round and even mounting him at one point.

Now Lutter has a chance to make up for his mistakes, and a win over the former champion would catapult him closer to another shot at Silva.

It’s a rematch that he wants badly, and with a relative lack of clear-cut contenders in the middleweight division, it’s a fight Lutter may get if he strings a couple of high-profile wins together. He also says that he matches up well against both Silva and Rich.

Franklin has his own reasons to be worried about this fight. He has lost to Silva by tko twice, with Silva taking his title and breaking his nose the first time. It is improbab;e that they will meet up for a third time. But Franklin doesn’t plan on going anywhere yet.

“Anderson’s not the only great fighter out there,” he replied. “There are other fighters out there for me to fight, so I do see other challenges out there for me.”

An ex-high school math teacher, Franklin occupies a tricky position in the division. He is the former champ and can hang with anybody at 185 pounds, but until somebody dethrones Silva, the odds of him wearing the gold again seem slim.

A loss to Lutter would be devastating, for it would push Franklin farther down the ladder and make him reevaluate what he wants to accomplish in his career. His future as a middleweight will also be called into question.

There’s always the option of moving back to 205 pounds, because there are lots of intriguing match-ups for Rich in that division with a host of contenders for the title. Yet Franklin would not have the size advantage over his opponents that he enjoys at middleweight.

Regardless of the outcome of the Lutter fight, there is enough talent at 185 to keep Rich occupied and on his toes.

If Dan Henderson stays at middleweight, a fight between the two remains a possibility, and the UFC could market it as an All-American contest between two former champions seeking lost glory.

Middleweights such as Demian Maia, Ricardo Almeida, Ed Herman, and Patrick Cote are battling for a shot at Silva and a fight with Franklin would make an excellent test for them.

Yushin Okami may get the next title shot, as he has unfinished business with Silva. His only loss in the UFC has been to Rich.

Meanwhile, Anderson Silva has been running through his UFC competition, winning six fights decisively and is now considered to be one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world.

The Franklin/Lutter will help establish a hierarchy throughout the division, and possibly cement Lutter as one of the top dogs. Conversely, Franklin wants to bounce back and assert himself as the no. 2 fighter at middleweight. 

Regarding their styles, Franklin has greater striking skills while Lutter has better jiu-jitsu and wrestling. Lutter will most likely get the takedown; what he does with it will determine how the fight goes.

If Lutter is unable to pull off a submission or tko victory on the ground, he may grind out a decision unless Franklin is able to knock him out. If Franklin can sprawl and brawl, then he should walk away the victor.

Franklin’s ground skills should not be underestimated, and he may be able to fend off Lutter long enough to warrant a stand-up. Lutter can strike, but Franklin has a definite edge in that department and will be looking for the k.o.

This will be the first UFC event to take place in Canada, and it was the fastest-selling card in history. As the co-main event, Franklin and Lutter will be feeling the heat in Montreal and looking to deliver.

With stakes this high, both men might be a little reluctant to come out aggressive, fearing to commit a fatal mistake. Yet a boring or disappointing fight is the last thing that either fighter needs, which is why I think they will be looking to impress.

It has been joked that Rich Franklin can always go back to teaching math after losing to Silva again. For his teaching credentials, Lutter runs a jiu-jitsu academy in Texas.

Yet they both want to prove that they belong at the top of the division as professional fighters, and as such, this fight will be critical in determining the rest of their respective careers. This is also Lutter’s first fight in over a year, and it remains to be seen how the layoff will affect him.

Not only does the outcome matter, but also the performance of both fighters as this will be essential to judging how well they have recovered from their setbacks. Whoever can handle the pressure better and execute their game plan will be victorious.

The path to redemption is long and arduous, the obstacles uncompromising and relentless. But the final goal, the summit at the top, is ultimately worth it. Don’t believe me? Just ask Rich Franklin and Travis Lutter.