Tony
13-10-2009, 08:16
Rich Franklin’s Manager Wants To Know Why You Aren’t More Concerned With Fighter Safety (http://www.cagepotato.com/rich-franklin%E2%80%99s-manager-wants-know-why-you-aren%E2%80%99t-more-concerned-fighter-safety)
http://i33.tinypic.com/9gwrh5.gif
(Props: MMA TKO (http://www.mmatko.com/vitor-belfort-vs-rich-franklin-fight-finish-gif-%E2%80%93-ufc-gifs/))
We haven’t heard much out of Rich Franklin (http://wiki.cagepotato.com/index.php/Rich_Franklin) since his TKO loss to Vitor Belfort (http://wiki.cagepotato.com/index.php/Vitor_Belfort) at UFC 103 (http://www.cagepotato.com/ufc-103-liveblog), but recently his manager popped up to complain about the illegal blows “Ace” suffered at the very end of the fight. While J.T. Stewart insists that this is not about “sour grapes,” he says he’s disappointed that everyone saw fit to overlook what he saw as a series of illegal blows just before the stoppage, and wonders why there wasn’t a break in the action due to the blows to the back of Franklin’s head (http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/springfield-oh-sports/mixed-martial-arts/should-illegal-blows-during-mma-fight-go-ignored-343063.html):
“Would it have changed the outcome? Maybe not. But this is about fighter safety. This isn’t just about Rich Franklin; it’s about Rich and every other fighter knowing the rules will be enforced, whether the fight is about to be stopped or not. … “There’s been no discussion about it. None. It’s a disappointing [sic]. The commissions, referees, fighters – everyone could have improved the safety of the sport by examining and discussing this situation. But because most people thought the outcome was a foregone conclusion, everyone conveniently ignored it."
That’s one assessment of the situation. The other is that, as illegal blows go, this is a bit of a gray area.
http://i33.tinypic.com/9gwrh5.gif
(Props: MMA TKO (http://www.mmatko.com/vitor-belfort-vs-rich-franklin-fight-finish-gif-%E2%80%93-ufc-gifs/))
We haven’t heard much out of Rich Franklin (http://wiki.cagepotato.com/index.php/Rich_Franklin) since his TKO loss to Vitor Belfort (http://wiki.cagepotato.com/index.php/Vitor_Belfort) at UFC 103 (http://www.cagepotato.com/ufc-103-liveblog), but recently his manager popped up to complain about the illegal blows “Ace” suffered at the very end of the fight. While J.T. Stewart insists that this is not about “sour grapes,” he says he’s disappointed that everyone saw fit to overlook what he saw as a series of illegal blows just before the stoppage, and wonders why there wasn’t a break in the action due to the blows to the back of Franklin’s head (http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/springfield-oh-sports/mixed-martial-arts/should-illegal-blows-during-mma-fight-go-ignored-343063.html):
“Would it have changed the outcome? Maybe not. But this is about fighter safety. This isn’t just about Rich Franklin; it’s about Rich and every other fighter knowing the rules will be enforced, whether the fight is about to be stopped or not. … “There’s been no discussion about it. None. It’s a disappointing [sic]. The commissions, referees, fighters – everyone could have improved the safety of the sport by examining and discussing this situation. But because most people thought the outcome was a foregone conclusion, everyone conveniently ignored it."
That’s one assessment of the situation. The other is that, as illegal blows go, this is a bit of a gray area.