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