UFC 68: Franklin and Swick to fight, but not eachother

Despite indications from one of the best sources around – MMAWeekly.com – former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin will not fight Mike Swick at UFC 68 on March 3 in Columbus, Ohio, as reported earlier on UFCmania.

Here's a snip from Swick himself on MySpace:

Hey guys,

I have been getting a lot of messages about a rumor that I am fighting Rich in March. Though I will probably fight in March, as of now, it is not Rich Franklin. I am still not sure who my opponent will be, but again, as of now its not Rich Franklin.

Thanks and I will update you guys as soon as I find out. Training is going great and my knuckle is almost healed up. I have taken measures to make sure that I will be the most ready I have ever been for a fight by March. I brought in a new strength and conditioning coach, as well as a great nutritionist.

Stay tuned for updates...

-Swick

Just to be clear: Franklin and Swick will both fight at UFC 68, but not against one another.

This makes more sense for Franklin, considering Swick is one of the top UFC fighters in the 185-pound class. And a win for "Ace" would be no guarantee against the former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season one standout who has racked up a perfect 5-0 record inside the Octagon.

We know that there are never any guarantees going into any fight. Anything can happen on any given night inside the eight-sided cage – even to former champs who are supposedly fed chumps.

Right, Jens?

There's no doubt that Franklin is an elite fighter, who would probably be the favorite going into a fight with Swick.

But, there's just something to be said for giving him the best opportunity to right the ship after a devastating loss and a year full of injuries.

We're sticking with our earliest prediction for Franklin's opponent – Leben or MacDonald.