Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Rich Franklin's last contest in the UFC was back in 2012, when he lost to Cung Le. Not many expected a return to the sport after such a long layoff, but technically, Rich had one more fight left on his contract.The 40-year-old announced his retirement today in an editorial he wrote for The Players Tribune, titled Chasing a Dream, in which he talks in depth about his experience as a professional fighter.
Since his last fight, the former middleweight champion has been serving as vice president of Asian MMA promotion ONE FC, which will continue to keep 'Ace' active in the scene."So, where do I go from here?" he wrote. "In my mind, the sky is the limit! I decided I didn't want to announce 'retirement', rather, I am announcing that I have closed one chapter of my life and begun another. I am blessed to continue working in an industry I helped build. I will continue to do great things with ONE Championship."Many years ago, I was just a guy chasing his dream. Today, I stand here humbled and appreciative of where that pursuit took me. God bless!"