| The Ultimate Fighting Championships are | | | | against Victor Rodriguez back in 2003, |
| filled with a lot of big, tough men, | | | | and continued to defend his title belt |
| with Tim Sylvia being a prime example of | | | | in another bout. However, in the wake of |
| their ranks. Though he's made several | | | | another triumph versus Gan McGee, Sylvia |
| missteps in his mixed martial arts | | | | was found to test positive for illegal |
| career and suffered from personal | | | | and forbidden substance abuse. This led |
| setbacks and injury, he's still making | | | | to the fighter having his title taken |
| an effort to bounce back and be a | | | | away from him. |
| serious competitor stepping into the | | | | In a further downturn, he broke his arm |
| Octagon. Sylvia has had to deal with | | | | in a match against Frank Mir, and had |
| severe physical injury, notably in the | | | | also had a harder time in facing |
| form of back problems, along with his | | | | contenders such as Andrei Arlovski, Jeff |
| past mistakes. By now, however, he is | | | | Monson, and Randy Couture. After his |
| hoping to make up for lost time as he | | | | loss to Couture at UFC 68, he decided |
| poises himself to return in UFC 77, | | | | that the pain his back was giving him |
| where he is set to face Brandon Vera, a | | | | was too much and he had to finally |
| younger fighter who has yet to be | | | | undergo surgery. Sylvia even admitted to |
| beaten. | | | | crying himself to sleep at night because |
| Sylvia has a professional MMA record of | | | | of the pain, and says he realized he was |
| 23 wins and three losses, which he | | | | fighting for the wrong reason, which was |
| earned even while dealing with a severe | | | | mainly money. Even though he lost to |
| back ailment. He had three bulging discs | | | | Couture, he says the fight was a |
| in his back which often caused him pain, | | | | learning experience for him, and he |
| yet he kept putting corrective surgery | | | | still holds his fellow MMA fighter in |
| off and telling himself that it could | | | | high regard. |
| wait. He emerged the victor in a match | | | | |