UFC 147 Live Blog: Wanderlei Silva vs. Rich Franklin

This is the UFC 147 live blog for Wanderlei Silva vs. Rich Franklin, a catchweight bout on Saturday night's UFC event in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

It's the second meeting between the two UFC stars. Franklin defeated Silva via unanimous decision at UFC 99 on June 13, 2009.

Check out the live blog below.

Round 1: Franklin weighed in at 190 for this catchweight bout; Silva 188. Mario Yamasaki is your referee. Franklin goes for a low kick about a minute in and Silva pops him with a right hand. Both guys showing each other respect. Franklin with a couple straight rights. Two minutes in. Franklin catches Silva's high kick. Franklin throws a couple combos, catches Silva with a right. Franklin with a left kick, seems to be gaining confidence. Franklin walking Silva down. Silva lands a head kick, Franklin answers with a jab. Both connect in a late exchange. Franklin with a head kick and a two-punch combo late. MMAFighting scored the round for Rich Franklin, 10-9.

Round 2: Silva goes with the high kick again. Then he goes with a low kick that lands on Franklin's knee, but Silva got the worst of it. Silva still kicking, though, a low kick and a front kick this time. Franklin lands a right and a body kick. Franklin lands a body shot and follows with a solid combo. Silva throws the high kick midway through the round, Franklin answers with a head kick and a combo. Two minutes left. Body shot by Franklin and Silva connects on a counter right. Silva lands several rights, throws a knee, drops Franklin, Silva with several shots on the ground. Franklin up, but dropped again and takes a beating on the ground from Silva in the closing seconds Franklin survives, including a barrage of hammerfists right up until the horn. MMAFighting scores the round for Wanderlei Silva, 10-9 (19-19 overall).

Round 3: Franklin looks more or less recovered. Slower pace, no significant strikes two minutes in. Franklin with a body kick. Head kick by Franklin with two minutes left. Silva finally throws a combo with a bit more than a minute left in the round. Did Silva gas himself going for the finish in round two? Franklin with a takedown with just less than a minute left. Franklin working for position and lands a couple elbows in the closing seconds. MMAFighting scores the round for Rich Franklin, 10-9 (29-28 Franklin).

Round 4: Franklin eats a Silva right. Silva with a high kick about a minute in. Franklin throwing jabs and a right hook. Crowd a bit restless with the relative lack of action. Wanderlei's first kick of the round is a bulls-eye of a low blow and we have a time-out. Franklin stretching, he's ready to go. One minute left. Franklin with a combo and a body kick. Silva counters a Franklin kick with an overhand right. MMAFighting scores the round for Rich Franklin, 10-9 (39-37 Franklin overall).

Round 5: The fighters embrace at the start of the round. Silva with a high kick, Franklin with a straight left hand. Waiting for that final flurry from Silva, but mostly both guys are looking aged. Midway through the round. Franklin flicking jabs.Franklin still throwing jabs. Silva with a right hand. Under two minutes left. Silva charges forward and lands a 1-2 combo. Silva motions toward the crowd and throws a big right. Franklin keeping his distance from Silva's right. Silva bleeding from the nose. Silva with a big right hand in the closing seconds and the fight finishes with a wild flurry. The fighters embrace again. MMAFighting scores the round for Wanderlei Silva, 10-9 (48-47 Franklin overall).

Rich Franklin def. Wanderlei Silva via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46).