Tim Sylvia may leave the UFC

MuayThai4Life · 02-10-2008

By: Leland Roling - MMA-Analyst.com | Feb 9,2008
In another chapter to the saga that is the UFC’s salary structure, Tim Sylvia posted some news on his forum regarding his contract situation, Brock Lesnar’s pay, and what he may do in the future:

“i have one fight left on my contract i want to stay with the ufc but i am going to go were the money is right now Brock is making more m0ney then me that has to change i have a better name then him and i am a better fighter then him, i case u 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.”

There are a couple of things that are intriguing about this quote and bring up some issues for the UFC. First and foremost, their salaries are coming under fire from another big name heavyweight. Lesnar is making substantially more money than Sylvia, but he’s also a much bigger draw in terms of getting fans to crossover from wrestling to MMA. Sylvia, however, has the bigger name in MMA and the record to back it up.

Secondly, does the UFC even want to keep Tim Sylvia around? Sure, he’s been successful, but at what price are they willing to pay a relatively boring fighter who really isn’t as exciting as he used to be?

These are both issues that have come up in regards to other fighters, but the bigger issue is that of the salary structure. Obviously, Sylvia won’t make $250,000 a fight like Lesnar for fighting in the same manner that he currently is using in the cage. Dana White certainly wants him to push the pace more and finish bigger names. Sylvia is going to most likely want more money, a large amount more for his status in the heavyweight division. The UFC won’t want to give it to him. Get ready for some heated quotes in the future.

Sylvia also doesn’t have the drawing power of nearly any of the big names at the top of the division. Lesnar is getting paid for his drawing power. Couture draws buys, but Sylvia, Nogueira, Mir, and other heavyweights don’t produce big numbers. Matching up Mir vs. Sylvia or other potential rivalry matchups may solve that problem, but it won’t produce the numbers that we could expect from fighters like Liddell or Couture.

The UFC is basing their pay not just on record and that’s where Sylvia’s thinking is flawed. The bigger paydays rely on drawing power, performance, excitement, and the abilities to get fans excited about seeing a fight. Sylvia has next to none of those abilities.

An exodus?

With those factors being the basis for pay in the UFC, we could begin to see some higher skilled fighters move away from the UFC. Lesnar making such big money for producing bigger PPV numbers could leave other fighters wanting more. Arlovski’s situation may be the epitome of that problem. Crocop is also a mystery, Couture is done with the UFC, and Fedor is in M-1, it’s definitely a possibility that more Heavyweights from the UFC will move elsewhere.

That possibility can also send the UFC into a spending spree as well. They may end up throwing more money at heavyweights in order to keep them in the UFC.

One thing is for certain, Sylvia is definitely thinking about leaving, but Dana will have to throw some more money at him even though he hasn’t been particularly exciting in any of his last few fights. Will Dana strive to keep him? We think so, but other organizations may have more lucrative deals to offer.

Wow.

way26 · 02-10-2008

Well, here is Tim's follow-up to the orignal post in which he says that it was all taken out of context. And also, i think my IQ dropped 15 points just by reading Tim's broken English. Enjoy!

Five Ounces of Pain | Tim Sylvia clarifies previous comments about the UFC and M-1 Global

MATT E · 02-11-2008

I dont understand, the first one he clearly hints that if things don't go his way he may conisder moving to M-1. And as soon as people start to talk about it, he becomes an ass and act like it never happened. honestly though, if he left, no sweat off my back, the only reason i would want to keep him around is to see him get beat. Even though his fight against Nog was more impressive then usual, he still is a big goofy lackluster fighter who fights to not lose, instead of fighting to win.

TheIceman44 · 02-11-2008

Ill put it into easy words.........................Who cares

way26 · 02-11-2008

Like him or hate him, the fact is that Sylvia is a big name and will probably always be a top contender, if not the title holder. Tim leaving would be a big loss to the HW division IMO. He can beat anyone at HW on any given night, and if he were to fight Nog again, my money would be on Sylvia.

Not saying that I love Tim or anything, but the guy is a major player in the UFC and losing him would be a big deal.

MATT E · 02-11-2008

I understand what your saying way26, but at the end of they day do you really enjoy his fights. I mean think about it, when Anderson Silva fights, i can't wait until that event, when GSP fights, i can't wait to see what he does next. And the same goes for the rest of champions, when Sylvia fights you actually have to dread watching the fight. Not being biest at all towards him, it just how i feel, i dont see a need to keep some one around whos one and lost his title so many times.

MuayThai4Life · 02-12-2008

actually when Sylvia fights i can't wait to watch that fight in hopes that he gets his head smashed. I agree 100% with Way26. I am one of if not THE biggest tim sylvia haters. I think since he got off riods he hasn't been dominant against anyone over the heigth of 6'0. but other than he he does a great job of winning fights. He did exactly what he needed to do to beat Vera, who i thought would smash through timmah. He should have beat Nog (altho a lot of people feel they should have too and then lost) but truth be told he is a ticket seller, just for the wrong reasons. And only when he fights guys that ppl want to see smash him. Put Sylvia vs Herring and it'll be a total flop, but Sylvia vs Gonzaga, big fight. Sylvia vs Kongo potential sellout. Sylvia vs Cro Cop and just because it's Cro Cop it'll sell out. Now contrast that with Anderson Silva vs Travis Lutter. That was an Eh fight for me to even want to watch. Even tho it was more entertaining than the last 6 of Timmah's fights. All I'm saying is Timmah does "deserve" to be paid for what he's done. He is a 2 time world heavyweight champ and i bet you no other ex champ gets paid only 80k a fight.... sept maybe sherk but he doesn't REALLY count. cause he is so small.. ya know? kinda a half person, should get half pay maybe....