At UFC 41, it only took “The Maine-iac” three minutes to become the ninth heavyweight champion of the world.
It’s a sad day for mixed martial arts (MMA) when former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight champion, Michael Bisping, gets inducted into the promotion’s hall of fame before ex-heavyweight kingpin, Tim Sylvia.
No love for the one-time OxyMoron? What the heck, UFC.
“The Count” headlines the 2019 class in a ceremony that will take place on July 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada, in what has become an annual tradition for International Fight Week. The brash Brit is joining the “Modern Era” category for athletes who turned pro on or after Nov. 17, 2000, are a minimum age of 35, or have been retired for one year or more.
Current UFC Modern Era inductees include former champions BJ Penn, Forrest Griffin, Urijah Faber, and Ronda Rousey. Bisping, who retired in May 2018 with a record of 30-9, turned 40 just last month.
“I can’t help but laugh when I see stuff like this,” Sylvia wrote on Twitter. “When Frank Shamrock, Jens Pulver, and myself are all out here like WTF, really?”
Promotion president, Dana White, claimed he didn’t have any hard feelings toward Sylvia, but it certainly didn’t stop him from ragging on “The Maine-iac” for his knockout loss to Ray Mercer back in 2009 (watch the video here).
“Everyone knows Dana is a dick,” Sylvia said. “UFC HOF is a popularity contest on who kisses Dana’s ass and is a ‘yes sir’ to him. I never took his shit and never will. If I could get him in a gym with me I would slap his teeth down his throat. For me and all the other fighters.”
Sylvia is not alone in his misery. Despite being one of the most influential fighters of his generation, as well as one of the most talented, former UFC champion, Frank Shamrock, will not have a spot inside the hallowed hall following his decade-long “vendetta” with White.
As for Jens Pulver, a trailblazer for the little guys … I got nuthin’.
Sylvia retired back in 2015 as a result of head trauma. That was probably for the best, as “The Maine-iac” might be the first heavyweight fighter to ever be ruled medically unfit to compete for being too fat (seriously).
You’ve heard of three piece and a soda? Try $40 and an autograph.