Xavier Franklin, USA, 6-1-1 (1 NC)
Pros:
-Fast
-Hits hard
-Explosive
-Good ground and pound
-Heavy top position
-Credible wrestling
-Dangerous pocket striker
-Dangerous in bursts
-Power jab
Cons:
-Struggles at range
-Can be too patient/low volume
-Susceptible to leg kicks
-Slows late
Franklin gets his second opportunity to make it to the UFC after appearing on the Contender Series in 2024. At the time, he was 5-0-1 and got matched up with David Martinez. Franklin wasn’t ready for that level of competition, and being outclassed there wasn’t a huge surprise.
Since then, he’s fought twice, earning a fourth-round TKO and fighting to a draw. I’m not entirely sure why that fight ended as a draw, but XFC isn’t exactly known for being a well-run promotion.
Franklin has the attributes to be a really good fighter. He’s a good athlete, well-rounded and extremely fast, with a nice combination of speed and power. The issue is consistently putting all those tools together for over 15 minutes. For Franklin to be at his best, he needs to be in your face and dictate the fight. He struggles more at range against opponents with good footwork and long-distance striking, as we saw against Martinez.
At times, Franklin can be too low-volume, considering the hand speed and power he possesses. His jab is a great weapon, but he should be doing more behind it. I’ve been high on Franklin since his amateur days, but he hasn’t shown quite as much growth as I expected. He tends to capitalize on openings that are given to him rather than consistently creating them himself.
With that said, he doesn’t need massive improvements to be competitive. If he becomes just a little more aggressive and proactive, he has the tools to compete with UFC-caliber fighters at a certain level. I don’t see him winning the tournament, but he’s no easy fight for anyone in the field.
