SINGAPORE – Rich Franklin isn’t retired. He has no imminent plans to hang up the gloves, either. The UFC legend is just taking some time off from the cage to build a foundation for his post-fight career.
Franklin, the former UFC middleweight champion, and his business partner, Billy Zebe, are starting an organic juice company called Zelin, which is expected to open its first location this summer in Los Angeles.
“I’m really passionate about this,” Franklin told The Post last week at ONE FC’s One Asia MMA Summit at lush Marina Bay Sands. “I’m passionate about this like I’m passionate about MMA. I can’t get punched in the face forever.”
Franklin flew out to Singapore last week to speak at the conference, which brought together 2,000 MMA luminaries from around the world, specifically Asia. In his talk, Franklin did not rule out another title run and targeted the end of 2013 as a possible return date to the Octagon.
But at the moment he has his hands full with this new venture.
“I’m at this age now where I really have to start investing time into something else, because I have nothing else,” the 38-year-old said. “My entire life is MMA. I have to make sure I have this foundation in place with Zelin before I start training for another fight.”
Franklin’s story is one that has been told over and over – parts have even been snatched by two separate Hollywood movies. The Cincinnati native was a high school math teacher before finding stardom in the early days of the UFC. He’s maintained a level of consistency over the last decade that few can boast.
And since the start of his career, Franklin has been known for his impeccable conditioning and attention to his diet. In many ways, he was ahead of his time with fitness before it became the norm in the sport.
“My reputation as a fighter from Day One when the UFC did ‘All Access’ on me, I’ve been marketed as a guy who is strict on his nutrition,” Franklin said. “My lifestyle is pretty holistic. This is what people know about me. And it is. I walk the walk.”
That’s where the inspiration for Zelin comes in. Franklin doesn’t want to own a gym, but he wants to stay in the health business. His juice bars will feature whole food blending, recipes designed by chefs, acai bowls and low-calorie vegan pastries that Franklin believes “will separate us from the other organic juice companies out there.”
Franklin is coming off a flash, first-round knockout loss to Cung Le in his last fight, back in November in Macau. There are still interesting fights for him in the UFC and when all is said and done he hopes to one day be in the UFC Hall of Fame.
After that, even if he’s given a cushy administrative job by the UFC like the ones granted to fellow retired superstars Chuck Liddell and Matt Hughes, Franklin has something in his post-MMA career to motivate him.
“I can’t sit idle,” Franklin said. “When you have the world champion mentality, you have to be doing something and you have to be doing it well.”
mraimondi@nypost.com
