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Former UFC middleweight titleholder Rich “Ace” Franklin headlines UFC 103 against former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort.  The two will complete at a catch weight of 195 pounds; for Franklin it will be back-to-back fights at what I’ve coined the heavy middleweight division.

What does a win at 195 do for a fighter in the middleweight or light heavyweight division?

“That’s a good question,” Franklin told MMAWeekly.com.  “I look at myself online sometimes and I see that I don’t really have a good ranking at 205.  I don’t really have a good ranking at 185 anymore.  I think a lot of people don’t know where to put me in those weight classes, and I realize that these catch weight fights are kind of doing that to me.

“I’m fighting a tough opponent here.  He’s a big named opponent, and it’s going to be an exciting fight.  And I know if this continues to happen, as long as I keep winning fights, at some point and time I’m going to have to get in the mix somewhere, and I’ll let that work itself out.”

Asked if he thinks there needs to be a 195-pound division established, Franklin answered, “I’m not one pushing for it.  I didn’t request the 195 against Wanderlei Silva.  It was kind of something they came up with because I said I wasn’t going move back down to 185 for that fight.  And I didn’t request 195 for this fight.  Actually, Vitor did.

“I’m not really sure why he did.  I’m really confused about it because there was talk of him possibly fighting Fedor (Emelianenko) after the whole thing with (Josh) Barnett happened,” continued the 34-year-old fighter.  “If he was willing to fight him at heavyweight, I’m not sure why he wouldn’t fight me a light heavyweight even though he decided to go down to 185, but for whatever reason he requested 195 and I’m happy to fight him here.  I’m just really, at this point in time, interested in putting on fights that are entertaining that the fans seek.”

Belfort hasn’t competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship since UFC 51 in February of 2005, but returns riding a four-fight win streak.  Known as a streaky fighter, Franklin expects to see Belfort in top form on Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Arena.

“I’m expecting the new Vitor, and I’m expecting the new Vitor to be better than the old Vitor,” said the former middleweight titleholder.  “Looking at tapes on him, he looks as fast as he did when he was the old Vitor, but he looks a little more well-rounded now, a more proficient ground game… I’m coming in and prepping for the best Vitor I could possibly fight.”

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