Tim Sylvia
From FightWiki
Tim Sylvia is an American mixed martial artist. He is the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion. He trains as a member of the Miletich Fighting Systems (MFS) camp and is part of their MFSE (Miletich Fighting System Elite) group. He currently is fighting for Adrenaline MMA, formerly M-1 Global.
He holds notable wins over Ben Rothwell, Mike Whitehead, Jason Lambert, Wesley Correira, Ricco Rodriguez, Gan McGee, Wes Sims, Tra Telligman, Assuerio Silva, Jeff Monson, and Andrei Arlovski.
It has been rumored that Japanese fighters like Yoshida and Ogawa were paid as much as $2 million for some of their fights in PRIDE, and that Fedor Emelianenko received a similiar sums through payments made in Europe, though this is impossible to prove. The biggest purse that can be confirmed therefore goes to Sylvia, who earned $800,000 for his fight against Fedor at Affliction: Banned in July 2008.
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Name | Timothy Dean Sylvia |
| Nickname | The Maine-iac | |
| Association | Miletich Fighting Systems | |
| Weight Class | HW | |
| Weight | 260.5 lb (118.2 kg/18.61 st) | |
| Height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |
| Style | Kick Boxing | |
| Birth Date | 05/03/1976 | |
| Country | USA | |
| Tim Sylvias Pictures | http://www.tim-sylvia.com/ |
Contents |
Professional Record
| Record | 24 - 5 - 0 (Win – Loss – Draw) |
| Wins | 16 (T)KOs 2 Submissions 6 Decisions |
| Losses | 0 (T)KOs 4 Submissions 1 Decisions |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event Title | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Fedor Emelianenko | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Affliction: Banned | 7/19/2008 | 1 | 0:36 | For vacant WAMMA Heavyweight title |
| Loss | Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | UFC 81: Breaking Point | 2/02/2008 | 3 | 1:28 | For the interim UFC heavyweight title; Won Fight of the Night Honors |
| Win | Brandon Vera | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 77: Hostile Territory | 10/20/2007 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Randy Couture | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 68: The Uprising | 3/03/2007 | 5 | 5:00 | Lost the UFC heavyweight title |
| Win | Jeff Monson | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 65: Bad Intentions | 11/18/2006 | 5 | 5:00 | Defended the UFC heavyweight title |
| Win | Andrei Arlovski | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 61: Bitter Rivals | 7/08/2006 | 5 | 5:00 | Defended the UFC heavyweight title |
| Win | Andrei Arlovski | TKO (Punches) | UFC 59: Reality Check | 4/15/2006 | 1 | 2:43 | Regained the UFC heavyweight title |
| Win | Assuerio Silva | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC Ultimate Fight Night 3 | 1/16/2006 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Tra Telligman | KO (Head Kick) | UFC 54: Boiling Point | 8/20/2005 | 1 | 4:59 | |
| Win | Mike Block | TKO | IFC: Caged Combat | 5/21/2005 | 1 | 1:26 | |
| Loss | Andrei Arlovski | Submission (Achilles Lock) | UFC 51: Super Saturday | 2/05/2005 | 1 | 0:47 | Match was for the interim UFC heavyweight title |
| Win | Wes Sims | TKO (Punches) | SB 38: SuperBrawl 38 | 12/12/2004 | 1 | 1:32 | |
| Loss | Frank Mir | Technical Submission (Armbar) | UFC 48: Payback | 6/19/2004 | 1 | 0:50 | Match was for the UFC heavyweight title |
| Win | Gan McGee | TKO (Punches) | UFC 44: Undisputed | 9/26/2003 | 1 | 1:54 | Defended UFC Heavyweight title; Failed drug test and stripped of title after fight. |
| Win | Ricco Rodriguez | TKO (Punches) | UFC 41: Onslaught | 2/28/2003 | 1 | 3:09 | Won the UFC heavyweight title |
| Win | Wesley Correira | TKO (Corner Stoppage) | UFC 39: The Warriors Return | 9/27/2002 | 2 | 1:43 | |
| Win | Jeff Gerlick | TKO | EC 48: Extreme Challenge 48 | 7/27/2002 | 1 | 3:17 | |
| Win | Boyd Ballard | KO (Knee) | SB 24: Return of the Heavyweights 2 | 4/27/2002 | 1 | 3:21 | |
| Win | Jason Lambert | TKO (Strikes) | SB 24: Return of the Heavyweights 2 | 4/27/2002 | 2 | 4:13 | |
| Win | Mike Whitehead | TKO (Strikes) | SB 24: Return of the Heavyweights 2 | 4/47/2002 | 1 | 2:38 | |
| Win | Mike Whitehead | TKO | SB 24: Return of the Heavyweights 1 | 4/26/2002 | 1 | 3:46 | |
| Win | Ernest Henderson | TKO (Fell out of the Ring) | EC 47: Extreme Challenge 47 | 3/16/2002 | 1 | 0:29 | |
| Win | Matt Fremmbling | Decision (Unanimous) | EC 47: Extreme Challenge 47 | 3/16/2002 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Fino De La Cruz | TKO | EC 47: Extreme Challenge 47 | 3/16/2002 | 1 | 0:43 | |
| Win | Greg Wikan | Submission (Choke) | EC: Extreme Challenge Trials | 11/17/2001 | 3 | 2:20 | |
| Win | Ben Rothwell | Decision | EC 42: Extreme Challenge 42 | 8/24/2001 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Greg Wikan | TKO (Towel) | UW: Ultimate Fight Minnesota | 6/02/2001 | 1 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Gabe Beauperthy | Submission (Choke) | GC 3: Showdown at Soboba | 4/07/2001 | 2 | 4:16 | |
| Win | Randy Durant | TKO | IFC: Battleground 2001 | 1/19/2001 | 1 | 2:05 | |
MMA Career
Martial Arts Background
Sylvia joined a karate school as a child, and began wrestling in high school. After graduation, he worked construction, community gardening, hanging sheet rock, a bouncer for Shane Reids bar, and painting houses. He was playing semi-pro football when became interested in MMA, and began to train with Marcus Davis, who introduced him to MMA because they were bouncers together. During this time he decided to take up boxing and grappling, and after training for a year, Sylvia entered his first grappling contest, taking first place in his division. Soon after, he got the opportunity to fight in a Rhode Island no-holds-barred amateur event, in which he knocked out his opponent in 17 seconds.
A long time UFC fan, Sylvia and some friends attended UFC 28 in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 2000. Arriving early at the arena, they went inside and happened to see former UFC champion and MMA trainer Pat Miletich. Miletich remarked to Tim "You are a big son of a bitch!" and asked "Do you fight?", to which Sylvia replied "A little, but I have a hard time finding training partners and getting fights." Miletich simply said "Come to Iowa", and in late 2000 Sylvia sold all of his belongings and moved to Bettendorf, Iowa, to train with Team Miletich.
Early Professional Career
Sylvia made his professional MMA debut in 2001 fighting for the IFC. He went on to rack up thirteen consecutive wins with ten knockouts in organizations such as SuperBrawl, and Extreme Challenge. In 2002, Sylvia signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and won a TKO victory over Wesley "Cabbage" Correira at UFC 39 when Correira's corner threw in the towel. Sylvia then went on to defeat Ricco Rodriguez at UFC 41, winning his first UFC heavyweight championship. Soon after Sylvia defended his title with another quick victory over Gan McGee at UFC 44.
Controversy
After the fight with McGee, Sylvia tested positive for the banned substance Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid. He voluntarily forfeited his title and was handed a six month suspension, and fined $10,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). He later commented that the steroid usage was for shedding excess weight. Sylvia apologized and made no effort to claim innocence.
Injury
At UFC 48 in June 2004, Sylvia returned to face Frank Mir for the vacant UFC heavyweight championship; he lost. Early on in the fight Mir trapped Sylvia's right arm in an armbar submission attempt. As Sylvia tried to escape the hold, Mir tightened the submission and Sylvia's radius bone snapped about three inches below his elbow. Referee Herb Dean immediately stopped the fight and declared Sylvia unable to continue. Sylvia took exception to the decision and repeatedly claimed his arm was not broken (though the break could be explicitly seen on the slow-motion replay of the fight), even touching it and moving it around to demonstrate. NSAC officials and UFC president Dana White, acting on the doctor's opinion and in the interests of Sylvia's health, officially ended the fight and awarded Mir the title. Sylvia was taken to a local hospital where an x-ray revealed that his arm was in fact broken; he then took several months off to recuperate. Afterwards Sylvia said he was glad that referee stopped the fight and saved his arm from taking more damage.
Return to the Octagon
Six months after his loss to Frank Mir, Sylvia returned (a titanium plate had been attached to his forearm), in February 2005 to the UFC, taking on Andrei Arlovski to crown an interim UFC heavyweight champion as Mir, while still the nominal UFC champion, had suffered numerous injuries from a motorcycle accident that left him unable to defend his title. Sylvia was knocked to the ground by an overhand right punch, and while on the ground was caught in an achilles lock. Fearing another injury he tapped out.
In May 2005, Sylvia defeated Mike Block in the IFC by TKO, then went on to face MMA veteran Tra Telligman at UFC 54. With one second left in the first round, Sylvia landed a left head kick which knocked out Telligman. Sylvia made his cable television debut next, fighting Assuerio Silva at Ultimate Fight Night 3 on Spike TV, winning a unanimous decision after three rounds in a match that was intended to decide the next number one contender.
Reclaiming the Title
At UFC 59, Sylvia was finally awarded his rematch with the then-outright champion Andrei Arlovski. During the fight Sylvia was knocked down by Arlovski, only to immediately stand up. Within ten seconds Sylvia dropped Arlovski with an uppercut, followed by ground and pound, securing a TKO victory and once again taking the UFC heavyweight title. Soon after the match, Sylvia requested, and was given, a rematch with Arlovski. Their third match took place at UFC 61, with Sylvia remaining champion by unanimous decision.
Sylvia next fought Jeff Monson at UFC 65. Billed as a classic "striker vs. grappler" match, Sylvia won again by unanimous decision. The fight showcased Sylvia's growth as a mixed martial artist as he avoided danger from Monson on the ground, and even attempted a triangle choke submission himself. The fight was negatively reviewed by fans and critics, citing that the fight mostly involved the two men 'staring at each other with no action at all', and also that 'it was just there to make Sylvia look good'.
On March 3, 2007, Sylvia lost the UFC heavyweight championship to Randy Couture via unanimous decision. The judges all scored the bout 50-45, giving Couture his fifth UFC championship.
On October 20, 2007 at UFC 77, Sylvia defeated Brandon Vera via unanimous decision. In the after fight interview he called out Cheick Kongo to fight for the spot as number one contender for the heavyweight championship belt.
On February 2, 2008 Sylvia lost via guillotine choke to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 81 in Las Vegas, Nevada for the interim heavyweight championship. This was his last fight before departing from the UFC.
Adrenaline / Affliction
On March 28, 2008, Sylvia signed with Adrenaline MMA, formerly M-1 Global, to a two-year contract that allows him to fight for other organizations while under contract with Adrenaline. A few weeks later he was offered to fight Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction Clothing's inaugural event Affliction: Banned for the newly created WAMMA Heavyweight Championship.
On Saturday, July 19th, the former UFC heavyweight champion finally met Fedor in the ring. Sylvia characteristically stalked his opponent, looking to take advantage of his immense reach with a few jabs, but Fedor responded immediately with a hard flurry of punches that put the big man on the mat. The Russian immediately took Sylvia's back and secured the rear naked choke, forcing the tap at 0:36 of the first round.
