Tag: Tim Sylvia

‘WTF?!’ of the Day: Get in Shape with Tim Sylvia (Yes, THAT Tim Sylvia)


(And if you act fast, he’ll throw in “How to Throw a Leg Kick” for free!)

Are you a fat, nerdy MMA fan who lives with his mother and spends his time trolling the Internet? Well, obviously not, so you’ll have to play along here. But if you were overweight, and also decided that the whole “eating healthier and exercising” thing didn’t involve enough former UFC champions for your liking, then would I have a treat for you. Tim Sylvia has founded The Maine-Iac 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge, so that you can get in shape with the former UFC champion.

So what is inspiring Tim Sylvia to challenge his loyal fans? Is he trying to persuade people that fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son? Is he concerned about the rising obesity rates in our children? Believe it or not, it appears he’s doing this due to his own weight issues. I know, I can’t think of a single mean-spirited, sarcastic comment to make here, either, so let’s hear it from the former champion himself:


(And if you act fast, he’ll throw in “How to Throw a Leg Kick” for free!)

Are you a fat, nerdy MMA fan who lives with his mother and spends his time trolling the Internet? Well, obviously not, so you’ll have to play along here. But if you were overweight, and also decided that the whole “eating healthier and exercising” thing didn’t involve enough former UFC champions for your liking, then would I have a treat for you. Tim Sylvia has founded The Maine-Iac 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge, so that you can get in shape with the former UFC champion.

So what is inspiring Tim Sylvia to challenge his loyal fans? Is he trying to persuade people that fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son? Is he concerned about the rising obesity rates in our children? Believe it or not, it appears he’s doing this due to his own weight issues. I know, I can’t think of a single mean-spirited, sarcastic comment to make here, either, so let’s hear it from the former champion himself:

Well as most of you know, I am in my late 30?s and getting towards the end of my fighting career and I have noticed that it is getting harder and harder to maintain my weight. I received a short notice on a fight opportunity and weighed 330 lbs. at the time. To be in ultimate fighting shape – I needed to be 265 lbs! I only had 5 weeks to drop so a friend of mine turned me onto the Body by Vi Challenge. Within 3 weeks I lost 35 lbs but I had to bust by butt to get there!!! With that being said I was so surprised at how easy this diet was and how great the shakes tastes. Needless to say I am a believer and happy to share this with all my friends and fans. Join me in this journey to a better lifestyle. So please if you’re interested in a better way of life and just want to feel better – Join Me Today in the Body by Vi 90 day Challenge!

I know what you’re thinking: How can a guy with such an intense workout routine balloon up to 330 pounds? The answer, of course, is a lack of $249 Transformation Kit -proudly labeled “Tim’s Kit” – in his diet. Said kit contains some protein powder, a multivitamin, some flavor packets, and a whole lot of snake oil scientific weight loss stuff.

As Fightlinker pointed out, Sylvia’s challenge is really just an affiliate thing of the Body by Vi Challenge, meaning that Tim makes money off of everyone who buys something from his site. Eh, we’ve seen worse attempts at paying bills from former MMA fighters. Much worse. So how about picking up some protein powder from a former champion?

@SethFalvo

UFC Veteran Assuerio Silva Shot Five Times, Currently in Serious Condition

Some shocking news out of Brazil today, as it has been reported that UFC veteran Assuerio Silva was shot five times outside of his gym in Curitiba, Parana and is currently in serious condition at a nearby hospital.

According to multiple sources, the incident occurred on January 29th and came following a dispute with Silva’s former training partner, Robson Freitas, who had allegedly been threatening Silva for some time over issues that have yet to be disclosed. Oddly enough, Freitas has not been brought in on any charges as of this write up.

Silva is perhaps best known for his trio of UFC fights against Tim Sylvia, Brandon Vera, and Cheick Kongo between 2006-2007, all of which he suffered defeats in. Holding notable victories over fellow UFC veterans Fabiano Scherner, Alessio Sakara, and Igor Pokrajac, the 38 year-old Silva has not competed professionally since October of 2009, where he suffered a quick TKO defeat at the hands of Geronimo Dos Santos. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Dos Santos would be the one-time UFC hopeful who was forced to pull out of his scheduled UFC 153 match against Gabriel Gonzaga when his pre-fight medical exam revealed that he had Hepatitis B. Silva also competed under the PRIDE and Jungle Fight banners, where he compiled a 6-2 record including a victory over Valentijn Overeem.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Silva and his family in this difficult time.

-J. Jones

Some shocking news out of Brazil today, as it has been reported that UFC veteran Assuerio Silva was shot five times outside of his gym in Curitiba, Parana and is currently in serious condition at a nearby hospital.

According to multiple sources, the incident occurred on January 29th and came following a dispute with Silva’s former training partner, Robson Freitas, who had allegedly been threatening Silva for some time over issues that have yet to be disclosed. Oddly enough, Freitas has not been brought in on any charges as of this write up.

Silva is perhaps best known for his trio of UFC fights against Tim Sylvia, Brandon Vera, and Cheick Kongo between 2006-2007, all of which he suffered defeats in. Holding notable victories over fellow UFC veterans Fabiano Scherner, Alessio Sakara, and Igor Pokrajac, the 38 year-old Silva has not competed professionally since October of 2009, where he suffered a quick TKO defeat at the hands of Geronimo Dos Santos. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Dos Santos would be the one-time UFC hopeful who was forced to pull out of his scheduled UFC 153 match against Gabriel Gonzaga when his pre-fight medical exam revealed that he had Hepatitis B. Silva also competed under the PRIDE and Jungle Fight banners, where he compiled a 6-2 record including a victory over Valentijn Overeem.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Silva and his family in this difficult time.

–J. Jones

MMA: 5 Fighters Who Can Still Make a Comeback

As fans of the combative sports, it’s a very hard thing to see a fighter we like and have rooted for many times to begin a downhill slide; we know it will happen eventually, and sometimes it happens sooner than we expected, but that doesn’t…

As fans of the combative sports, it’s a very hard thing to see a fighter we like and have rooted for many times to begin a downhill slide; we know it will happen eventually, and sometimes it happens sooner than we expected, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

While MMA fans are dedicated on one hand, they are quick to mock and condemn on the other. Before you know it, this fighter or that champion was never really all that good anyway, and you know it’s true because if it wasn’t they wouldn’t be losing.

It’s the kind of attitude that’s to be expected in the fight game; fans are only human, after all, and it’s far easier to be pessimistic than optimistic.

Still, secretly, many a fan has a special place in their heart for at least one fighter who is struggling, hoping they can find a way to turn the tide and prove all the naysayers wrong. Fans also love to root for the underdog, even if they only do it through gritted teeth.

Perhaps the notion of fighters making comebacks is unconventional from a fan perspective, but it does happen. When a fighter is honest and decides that he still wants to fight more than anything else, it is then that positive change is most likely to occur.

One example of this is Arturo Gatti, who looked like he was simply finished as a boxer—too many wars and too much punishment coupled with a face-first style that simply didn’t have to be so—and thought by many to be too old to change his style.

But change he did, and the comeback was achieved, and we got one of the greatest boxing wars the sport has seen in some years: Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward.

When you consider that boxers take far more punishment in their careers than MMA fighters, the tale of Gatti is inspiring. 

So taking that inspiration to heart, here is a list of five fighters who could make a comeback, should they find their dedication equal to their desire.

Begin Slideshow

[VIDEO] Amorphous Tim Sylvia-Like Blob, and Other Attractions from Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2012

Mirko Cro Cop VS Shinichi Suzukawa

DREAM 18 wasn’t the only Japanese MMA event on New Year’s Eve. Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2012 – a hybrid MMA/Pro-wrestling card – also provided the MMA community with some freak show goodness. We’ve been putting off coverage of this event until videos surfaced because frankly, when the main event features a post-prime Cro Cop vs. a disgraced sumo wrestler turned professional wrestler, well, yeah, this event can wait a few days.

The main event, Cro Cop vs. Suzukawa, proved that no matter how far past his prime he is, Cro Cop can still submit a clueless jabroni making his MMA debut. In other words, it was a decent freak show fight that played out exactly as it should have. It just wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve without a freak show fight, now would it?

The co-main event displayed Japanese judoka Satoshi Ishii fighting against what was apparently Tim Sylvia. Despite committing himself to the most explosive workout program in all of MMA, The Maine-iac showed up looking like he hasn’t even thought about training since his Arlovski fight in September, and did it ever show. Ishii took the fight by unanimous decision.

Video after the jump.

Mirko Cro Cop VS Shinichi Suzukawa

DREAM 18 wasn’t the only Japanese MMA event on New Year’s Eve. Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2012 – a hybrid MMA/Pro-wrestling card – also provided the MMA community with some freak show goodness. We’ve been putting off coverage of this event until videos surfaced because frankly, when the main event features a post-prime Cro Cop vs. a disgraced sumo wrestler turned professional wrestler, well, yeah, this event can wait a few days.

The main event, Cro Cop vs. Suzukawa, proved that no matter how far past his prime he is, Cro Cop can still submit a clueless jabroni making his MMA debut. In other words, it was a decent freak show fight that played out exactly as it should have. It just wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve without a freak show fight, now would it?

The co-main event displayed Japanese judoka Satoshi Ishii fighting against what was apparently Tim Sylvia. Despite committing himself to the most explosive workout program in all of MMA, The Maine-iac showed up looking like he hasn’t even thought about training since his Arlovski fight in September, and did it ever show. Ishii took the fight by unanimous decision.

My favorite moment from this one comes around the 1:40 mark, when Ishii pushes Sylvia across the ring attempting a takedown. No one is here to say that judo doesn’t work against larger opponents, but Ishii found that it’s certainly much more difficult to implement when your opponent is a 300+ pounds of fat, ribs and lousy tattoos. Probably the best instance of a fighter being confused by his freaky opponent’s fatness since Minowaman vs. Butterbean.

Speaking of Minowaman, he fought on New Year’s Eve, as is tradition. His opponent was middleweight “Playbor” Bor Bratovz. Okay, so it wasn’t a freak show fight, but Minowa managed to defeat someone his own size, which is almost as impressive. He picks up a heel-hook in the first round of this one.

Rolles Gracie also defeated Yusuke Kawaguchi two minutes into the first round of their fight by arm-triangle choke. You’re on your own for a video of that one, though. Enjoy the freak shows.

Brock Lesnar and the Most Hated Champions in UFC History

Brock Lesnar’s appearance in the UFC left no room for fence sitters. UFC fans either embraced the former WWE champion, enjoying his over-the-top persona and oversized corn-fed biceps, or they rejected him outright because of his time spent faking i…

Brock Lesnar‘s appearance in the UFC left no room for fence sitters. UFC fans either embraced the former WWE champion, enjoying his over-the-top persona and oversized corn-fed biceps, or they rejected him outright because of his time spent faking it in front of the whole world.

There was no middle ground as Lesnar lassoed Heath Herring like he was a bucking bronco or yelled at Frank Mir and let the UFC’s biggest sponsor have it with both barrels. You either loved Lesnar or hated him.

In the case of UFC champions, fans usually have a baseline level of respect. There are very few Lesnars, because the guys who make it to the top don’t catapult there from out of nowhere like Brock. One exception I remember vividly is welterweight champion Matt Serra, who played up the brash New Yorker part of his personality to the hilt before his UFC 83 showdown with Georges St-Pierre.

St-Pierre was beloved in his hometown of Montreal where the fight took place, so when Serra took the cage after months insulting the local hero, it exploded in boos. That was hate, unfiltered and pure.

The third champion that comes to mind is Tim Sylvia. He wasn’t loathed the way Tito Ortiz was. Ortiz, whether flipping Ken Shamrock the bird or taunting Chuck Liddell, was consistently insufferable.

Sylvia was different. Fans just kind of wanted him to go away. He was tall, awkward and lumbering and simply didn’t do anything particularly well. When he was dethroned once and for all, by the great Randy Couture, it was like a burden was lifted off fandom’s collective shoulders.

Have a fighter in mind who could really grind your gears? Let me know about it in the comments.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

10 Worst Title Fights in UFC History

In every sport, there is an ultimate prize. In baseball, it’s a World Series ring. In football, it’s a Superbowl ring. In basketball, it’s the Denslow Cup. For mixed martial artists, the one thing that every fighter hopes to grasp one day is his v…

In every sport, there is an ultimate prize. In baseball, it’s a World Series ring. In football, it’s a Superbowl ring. In basketball, it’s the Denslow Cup. For mixed martial artists, the one thing that every fighter hopes to grasp one day is his very own UFC championship belt.

When competing for championship gold, fighters have behaved in many different ways. Some are more aggressive than ever in the title hunt. Others take on a more cautious approach, in hopes of not blowing their golden opportunity.

There is no right or wrong way to fight, however, some fights have looked tremendous on paper, but terrible in reality. No matter what the reason, some fights are just awful, and championship contests are not immune.

They say that styles make fights, and some championship bouts are stylistic nightmares that should have been avoided by matchmaker Joe Silva, but when two guys are at the top of their division, their collision is inevitable.

Here is a look at the 10 worst title fights in UFC history.

Begin Slideshow