Rich Franklin 'open' to fighting Cung Le in China but it won't 'put him in that immediate title mix'

Despite a savage beating at the hands of Anderson Silva, one that left him with a mangled beak and no gold to call his own, Rich Franklin wants another middleweight title shot.

Sound familiar?

In fact, "Ace" was trumped not once, but twice by "The Spider," who hasn't relinquished the title since usurping the throne from Franklin at UFC 64 way back in October 2006. It was enough to send the former titleholder to the Light Heavyweight division, with mixed results, but now he's back and ready to make "one more run."

Starting with a fight against Cung Le at the upcoming UFC on FUEL TV 6 event on November 10, 2012 from the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel in the People's Republic of China.

Well, sort of.

"Down the road, I'm looking for a title shot and I don't necessarily think a win over Cung will put me in that immediate title mix. I still think the UFC is going to make me beat one of the top five guys that are there now, possibly somebody like a Bisping or a Stann, or Chris Weidman. Somebody like that after this fight is what I'm gonna have to do to earn that title shot against Anderson. Macau, China, first show in China was a really exciting possibility to me so I'm open to it. We'll just see what happens with this healing time."

Hear Franklin elaborate on his Octagon future to the gang at Inside MMA, after the jump.

For more on the UFC's push to have Rich Franklin vs. Cung Le in China click here.