Dan Henderson vs. Rich Franklin, Meh

Last night the UFC announced that Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin will meet for the second time this year as the main event of UFC 103. 

The UFC was searching for a main event for their Dallas card and Rich Franklin was the logical choice but since Dan Henderson and Franklin were suppose to be in separate weight classes no one assumed that we would see a rematch especially so soon after their first bout, which took place in January this year. 

Thomas Gerbasi offered the UFC's justification saying, "Their first bout split the mixed martial arts community, making it obvious that they needed more than 15 minutes to settle their score."

Pardon me but I think there was a larger outcry of wrong doing in the Michael Bisping Matt Hamill fight than the first chapter of Franklin Henderson and we have yet to see the Hamill-Bisping rematch. 

There are two ways to look at this announcement. The first is that the UFC felt they needed a big main event at UFC 103 to push ticket sales and pay-per view buys and the only two fighters that were available were Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin. With the way the card was shaping up WKR feels that  a Rich Frank Luiz Cane bout would of been an excellent main event as it would further move either Franklin or Cane up the light heavyweight ladder. Besides UFC 103 is beginning to look like one of the best cards of the fall.  

The second way to look at it is that the UFC has no idea what to do with either Franklin or Henderson. Franklin should be fighting light heavyweights as he has professed his desire to be a permanent addition to the 205lbs. division. While Henderson's recent victory over Michael Bisping should have garnered a title shot against Anderson Silva later this year. But now both are stuck fighting each other again. For all intents and purposes both fighters are right back where they were in January and the past year has meant nothing. Seriously, where are these fighters going? Are they going to be stuck fighting in divisional limbo forever?

WKR would be remiss if we didn't mention certain personality traits that could have affected the rematch. Franklin was not pleased about the split decision loss to Henderson and it is possible that he requested the fight. Henderson also likes to fight at light heavyweight so it is more than possible he jumped at the chance to move up in weight again. Still both fighters are essentially stuck in neutral.  

Then there is the question of fan reception. If one subscribes to the first point then it would stand to reason that fans would be excited and interested for Franklin-Henderson II. However that doesn't appear to be the case. 

Our big brother, Bloodyelbow, put up a poll and 78% of the respondents don't think that Henderson vs. Franklin II is a good main event. You can add your vote here. 
 

Unless both Franklin and Henderson were adamant about a rematch this fight should not be occurring. Franklin should be fighting Luiz Cane and Henderson should be waiting the results of Marquardt-Maia and Silva-Griffin to see if he will indeed be fighting for the middleweight title.