Thread: Big tim lämnar UFC

Five years, eleven fights, and five titles after joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship, it appears that Tim Sylvia is leaving the Octagon.

Sylvia hinted at the departure on his website’s blog this Wednesday, stating, “I’ve got a couple of big announcements to make about my career.�

He had one fight left on his current contract following a losing title bid against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 81. A source close to the negotiations confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that Sylvia was given his leave last week. The divorce was made final early this week.

Sylvia’s manager, Monte Cox, declined to confirm the exit and would not comment on his fighter’s status.

The Bangor, Maine native made his UFC debut on September 27, 2002, defeating Wesley Correira by TKO at UFC 39: “The Warriors Return.� Since defeating Ricco Rodriguez for the heavyweight title at UFC 41, Sylvia was a constant fixture at the top of the division, fighting for the belt on eight separate occasions.

Sylvia’s tenure with the UFC was not always harmonious. After two lackluster title defenses at UFC 61 and 65, Sylvia strained his relationship with fans and the UFC brass. Long outspoken about the UFC’s business decisions, he attacked former WWE wrestler Brock Lesnar’s pay scale and hinted at his willingness to the leave following UFC 81.

“I want to stay with the UFC but I am going to go were the money is right now,� Sylvia wrote on his website. “Brock is making more money then me [and] that has to change. In case [you] didn't know my manager runs M1 so I have a pretty good in so we will see what happens in the next few months.�

Since Fedor Emelianenko’s exit from M-1, the organization is without marquee talent. Despite Sylvia’s hot/cold relationship with fans, Cox is likely to be first in line for his services.

jag respekterar på sätt o vis Sylvia för att han gör detta. Jag hade trott att han var en sån där som aldrig skulle lämna UFC, typ som chuck liddell, men icke.

Hoppas han går till EliteXC och möter kimbo.

Har hört snack om att han går till M-1

aldrig gillat hans "goofy"-stil men slänga iväg nävar kan han!

Härliga nyheter, även om jag gärna sett honom bli mosad av just Brock Lesnar först. Hur som helst, good riddance!

Han bekräftade det ju på insideMMA, så nej, det är nog klart nu. fyfan vad svag HW-divisionen är nu, det är ju egentligen pinsamt att heath herring är i närheten av titeln at this stage.

Tim Sylvia and Ben Rothwell Sign with Adrenaline MMA
by Dann Stupp [mmajunkie] on Mar 28, 2008 at 9:00 pm in - News -
Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia (24-4), a longtime UFC fighter whose relationship with the organization was oftentimes rocky, has left the organization and signed with Adrenaline MMA -- the promotion previously known as M-1 Global.

Adrenaline MMA CEO Monte Cox announced that former IFL stand-out heavyweight Ben Rothwell (29-5) has also signed with the organization, which is working toward a June 14 show in Chicago.

The announcements were made on today's edition of "Inside MMA" on HDNet.

Both Sylvia and Rothwell are represented by Cox, who's also one of the sport's most prominent fight managers.

Sylvia, who had spent more than five years with the UFC and held the heavyweight belt on two different occasions, had one fight left on his contract with the organization. He says the split with the UFC was mutually agreed upon.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported his possible depature earlier today -- soon after Sylvia posted a message on his official website promising a big announcement on "Inside MMA."

His deal with Adrenaline MMA is non-exlusive, meaning he will be able to compete outside the organization.

"I'll be real active, fighting six or seven times a year," Sylvia said. "Adrenaline is a new company that's just starting up, but they're allowing fighters to fight outside of their organization. That's huge... Take for instance my last fight. Granted, I loss, but I came out of there unhurt and unscathed. I could have fought a week or two later.

"Being 32 years old, I have four or five good years ahead of me. I plan to make the most of it."

M-1 Global launched in October 2007 after the organization was purchased by a group of American investors from Sibling Entertainment. However, after announcing that Emelianenko signed with the organization more than six months ago, Cox admitted this week that the fighter only signed a letter of intent. The organization and M-1 Global split ways this week, and the M-1 name will return to Emelianenko's manager and former M-1 president, Vadim Finkelchtein.

Sylvia, who suffered a third-round submission loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in his host recent fight, specifically mentioned Emelianenko, who's now a free agent, as a fighter he wants to face in the future.

As for Cox, he is committed to getting Adrenaline MMA off the ground.

"It's a chance for me to build an organization," Cox said. "We're not going to come in and be the UFC. Anyone who tries to do that is crazy.

"We're brand new. What we want to do is I want to identify exciting fighters, up-and-coming fighters, and give them a chance to perform on a big stage. And hopefully, we'll gather a big following and someday down the road be doing pay-per-views and such."

Rothwell, a Miletich fighter like Sylvia, has competed exclusively with the IFL since April 2006, going a perfect 9-0. He's currently riding a 13-fight win streak.

"We have two of the best heavyweights in the world to start off," Cox said of Adrenaline MMA. "There are a lot of organizations that would like to be in our shoes."