Wanderlei Silva -- is it time to go back to Japan? Time to hang them up? He struggled with the weight cut against Franklin. He looked slow and old, I personally think 205 is better for him. Much more exciting. Rich Franklin - Is he just a gate keeper now? He has no future at 185. And I don't think he can hang with Rampage, Machida, Evans, and such @ 205. Any more big name fighters besides Chuck and Randy we can discuss?
Franklin is looking at moving towards the LHW belt. It's not like there are many people close to a title shot at LHW right now, Shogun, then Rampage if he beats Evans. Then umm?? Chuck is supposedly retired (and not deserving a title shot), Randy is a HW. Tito is out, Wandy is a MW, Hendo seems to be staying at MW, Soko is out. Forrest probably needs a win over Anderson and at least 1 other person. Maybe guys like Luis Cane or Jon Jones can use Franklin as a stepping stone. They need a big name win. Or Franklin if he beats one of them, and gets some other big name win, would be in the title contention picture, because they aren't all that many.
I say give Franklin a chance to move up and get a title shot at LHW. I say give him a warm-up type fight with a mid-level guy, then see if he's for real vs. a top contender. If he can get by him, great, give him a title shot, if not, I think he'll be a gatekeeper. Silva, I think he's almost done, give him a mid-level MW guy and see what he can do, and go from there.
Chuck Liddell might have a retirement match against Rich Franklin this fall (UFC 103?), according to CP.
