UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort
What: 13-fight event headlined by Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort
When: Saturday
Where: American Airlines Center in Dallas
TV: Spike TV (9 p.m.) and then pay-per-view (10 p.m., $44.95)
DALLAS — After months — even years — of publicly bickering, mixed martial arts and boxing will go head to head in a battle for television viewers Saturday night, Sept. 19.
However, as combat sports’ two most prolific divisions fight it out, UFC 103 headliner Rich Franklin is staying out of the fray and instead focusing on his other scrap — with fellow ex-UFC champ Vitor Belfort.
Franklin (25-4), a West Chester Twp. resident, and Belfort (18-8) meet in the main event of UFC 103 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Their 195-pound catch-weight bout concludes a staggering 13-fight lineup (rather than usual nine), which airs on Spike TV (9 p.m.) and pay-per-view (10 p.m., $44.95).
But also taking place on Saturday night is the heavily promoted Floyd Mayweather Jr. (39-0) vs. Juan Manuel Marquez (50-4) fight, which airs on pay-per-view live from Las Vegas.
Mayweather has been scathing in his criticism of MMA and its fighters. Likewise, UFC president Dana White, a former boxing manager and gym owner, hasn’t exactly helped matters.
“The UFC was built on all the things that boxing did wrong,” he recently said. “We used them as a blueprint for what we shouldn’t do.”
Such public banter has further splintered fans who — more often than not — choose one sport over the other.
Franklin, who goes for his fourth win in five fights, knows bragging rights will be on the line Saturday night, but despite being one of the biggest names in MMA, he feels no need to bash the rivals.
“I don’t give it much thought,” Franklin said when asked about the MMA vs. boxing debate. “Quite honestly, if there weren’t a UFC (event) that night, I’d probably be watching the Mayweather fight.”
But Franklin, who moved out of the middleweight division after losing his title and a subsequent rematch to current champ Anderson Silva, feels the pressure to deliver and represent his sport well. In that way, he actually feels a kinship with his rival headliner.
“I’m sitting here curious, wondering if Mayweather is feeling the same way that I am about Saturday night,” Franklin said. “ ‘Hey, the UFC is on that night, and I heard that Franklin guy is a pretty good fighter. I need to put on a good show here.’ ”
While many older fans never took to “ultimate fighting,” and while most younger fans know nothing but MMA, 34-year-old Franklin feels for both sides.
“What stinks for me is that I don’t get to sit down and watch the Franklin fight or the Mayweather fight,” he joked.
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