The Ultimate Fighting Championships have been gaining momentum over the past decade around the world. UFC consists of many talented fighters that come from various backgrounds with one common goal, to be the champion. As in any other sport, it is apparent that strong Christians are represented loud and clear in and out of the ring. Rich Franklin is a champion in the ring as well as a champion for Christ. God has blessed his career and I had the opportunity to catch up with Rich a few months ago to discuss his career and most importantly his testimony and his faith in God.

JV: Rich, it is nice to meet you, could you share your salvation experience with our readers?

RF: Fortunately I was raised in a church and saved at a young age. I can't remember a time in my life when I did not know Christ. My family and I were getting ready for church one Sunday morning. I asked my dad about being saved, and we knelt down beside the bed before we left for church.

JV: Do you come from a long line of fighters? How did you become involved in the UFC?

RF: I did not come from a family of athletes or a family of fighters...so I am not sure how this all came about. I went to college to be a teacher. I taught for 4 years. I was training during my entire college career, and began fighting during the first year of my teaching career. Eventually the fighting turned into a career.

JV: It is great to see a man with a platform such as yours (UFC Champion) make it a practice in public to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Other than your faith in the Lord what else are who else plays a part in a successful career?

RF: I believe God watches over my career. He sent me a great team to help me prepare for my fights. They are a big part of my success. Since I was not a natural athlete as a young man, my work ethic had to play a major part of my regimen if I was going to be in the running at anything athletically.

JV: With your training schedule, do you have any “outreach� opportunities that you participate in?

RF: American Fighter is a company, primarily a clothing company that I am a part of. The company sponsors fighters and levels of sponsorships vary from fighter to fighter, but we do work in community as well. We have formed an Anti-Violence organization we call "Keep it in the Ring." It is something we would use to fund programs for children, perhaps educating them about bullies, or to help with organizations such as battered women’s shelters.

JV: With the platform that we talked about you are able to meet people that most of us only see on television. Kevin James is a comedian who stars in the CBS sitcom King of Queens, how do you know Kevin?

RF: Kevin is a friend of mine. We met at a UFC. I sent him some shirts and he wore them on the show during an episode. That was very nice of him to do, since that show runs on major networks. I am sure some fans knew what the shirt represented, while some just
thought it was a random t-shirt. Either way, it was great exposure.

JV: After viewing the website, I noticed a wonderful verse of scripture that you use as your theme whether it be in the ring as a contender or in the ring of this world as Christian facing the enemy.

RF: Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. Psalm 144:1 This verse reminds me that He is the strength and through his wisdom, he teaches me so much including His blessing over my safety in and out of the ring.

I enjoy meeting and interviewing humble people. Whatever profession the person may be involved with, it is always exciting for me to see humility run throughout the answers of each interview question. That was the way it was with Rich. There is no question that Rich is the real deal in and out of the ring!

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