Xavier Franklin has shared the behind-the-scenes story of his controversial TUF 34 first-round knockout of Micaias Urena, which was clouded by allegations of an illegal knee. Franklin says Urena later admitted he knew the knee had landed on his chest rather than his head, but stayed down hoping to win by disqualification after being knocked out. Despite reviewing replay footage alongside UFC CEO Dana White — who suggested Cormier 'might be mentally ill' for persisting — coach Daniel Cormier continued to protest before eventually acknowledging the strike was legal in a post-show clip.
Xavier Franklin has gone public with a revealing account of the chaos that followed his first-round knockout of Micaias Urena on The Ultimate Fighter 34, alleging that Urena himself later admitted the controversial knee had not landed illegally.
Franklin, who fights out of George's MMA and Boxing Gym, carries a 5-1-0 professional record heading into his post-TUF career. The 29-year-old southpaw from the United States stands five-foot-six with a 66-inch reach, and his striking output of 3.07 significant strikes per minute reflects an active, forward-pressing style.
According to Franklin, Urena acknowledged after the bout that the knee had connected with his chest rather than his head, but chose to remain on the canvas in hopes of drawing a disqualification despite already being knocked out. The allegation paints the incident as a calculated gamble rather than a genuine foul claim.
The situation escalated on the night when coach Daniel Cormier protested vigorously on Urena's behalf. UFC CEO Dana White reviewed the replay footage alongside Cormier and, according to the summary, was pointed enough in his frustration to suggest Cormier "might be mentally ill" for continuing to argue the point. Cormier, a former two-division UFC champion with a professional record of 22-3-0, ultimately acknowledged in a post-show clip that the strike had been legal.
Why it matters
- The episode raises questions about gamesmanship and the pressure coaches face when advocating for fighters mid-competition
- Franklin's account, if accurate, adds significant context to what was already one of the more contentious moments in recent TUF history
- Cormier's eventual concession on camera partly resolves the controversy, though Franklin's behind-the-scenes version keeps the discussion alive
