Both fighters began the first round cautiously and there was very little action for the first thirty seconds of the bout.  As the fight continued both fighters threw exploratory shots trying to feel out his opponent. In a pre-fight interview Franklin said that, “This is a dangerous fight for me, my biggest challenge to keep my belt. The first person to make a mistake will probably lose.” He was right.

Anderson Silva was able to avoid almost everything the champ threw at him, and shrugged off what appeared to be a few power shots.  Then Rich made the foreshadowed error that changed the fight, allowing himself to be locked up in Silva’s vaunted Muy-Thai clinch.

It was apparent from the first big knee that landed in Rich Franklin’s ribs that the fight was over.  Franklin looked disoriented and had absolutely no answer on how to escape from the Brazilian’s vice-like grip.

Sensing that “Ace” was in trouble, “the Spider” unleashed a barrage of knees to the body.  Silva followed with a glancing high-kick and a brutal knee to the face that broke Rich Franklin’s nose and put him down for good.

After the fight Franklin said in an interview with UFC legend Randy Couture that he was surprised how strong Silva was in the clinch and that during training he thought that was going to be his “sweet spot.”  Silva’s win brought a gigantic smile to the new champion's face and added some spice to what had been a fairly stagnant division.