<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-368" title="franklin" src="http://manjr.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/franklin.jpg" alt="" width="615" height="290" />

Four years ago this would have been hyped as the fight of the decade in MMA.  In 2006, <a href="http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Chuck-Liddell-192" target="_blank">Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell</a> had a tight grip on the light heavyweight (LH) division (205 libs.) after wins against the likes of Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, and Renato “Babalu” Sobral. <a href="http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Rich-Franklin-392" target="_blank">Rich “Ace” Franklin</a> had the middleweight (MW) crown (185 lbs) before “The Spider” Anderson Silva began his current annihilation of the division.

Fast forward to 2010 and the newest installment of the Spike TV series “<a href="http://www.spike.com/channel/ufc" target="_blank">The Ultimate Fighter</a>“ with coaches Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz renewing their rivalry in hopes of completing their trilogy of fights. Oritz, looking for his first win against Liddell, was surprisingly the first coach to ever be fired by <a href="http://twitter.com/danawhite" target="_blank">Dana White</a> after having to pull out of the Liddell fight during the ninth week of taping due to a recurring neck injury that will require surgery and rehabilitation. Chuck took it in typical Chuck fashion. Here's the <a href="http://www.ultimatefighter.com/videos/iceman-cracks" target="_blank">video</a>.

In stepped Franklin to coach the final week of the TV series and fight Liddell. The previously iron-chinned Liddell had been brutally KO’d by Quinton “Rampage” Evans, “Sugar” Rashad Evans and currrent LH champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in his recent 1-4 slide since beating Ortiz in 2006.  Ace, after being taken behind a woodshed and beaten to near death twice by “The Spider," moved up to the LH division looking for new competition.

Though not the sexy match up that it would have been years ago, it was still tantalizing enough to be the main event of the evening.  Liddell controlled the opening round with precise boxing and great kicks, one of which broke Franklin’s arm just a minute into the fight while he was attempting to block the high blast.  Franklin later recalled during his post fight interview with <a href="http://twitter.com/joerogan" target="_blank">Joe Rogan</a> that his busted limb was clicking and took him out of his game a little, but there was no chance of him not answering the bell for the second round.

It turned out he never had to worry about it, as Franklin landed a short right counter hook on the chin sending the overextended Liddell down to the canvas and out to the hospital with just five seconds remaining in the opening round. Next up for Ace should be a bump in competition in the crowded LH division with possibilities being Forrest Griffin, Rampage Jackson, Thiago Silva or Antonio Rogerio Nogueria.  As for Liddell, who has lost five of six and looked every bit like a 40-year-old fighter, hopefully retirement.

Check out the <a href="http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=VideoPlayer.home&amp;gid=8278" target="_blank">post-fight interviews</a>.