{"id":29943,"date":"2025-07-29T12:25:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T12:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/29943\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T12:25:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T12:25:08","slug":"morning-report-tim-sylvia-recalls-rough-ufc-relationship-this-is-how-i-know-dana-hates-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/29943\/","title":{"rendered":"Morning Report | Tim Sylvia recalls rough UFC relationship: \u2018This is how I know Dana hates me\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tim Sylvia<\/a> wanted more than a piece of Brock Lesnar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The year was 2008 and Sylvia and Lesnar were at distinctly different points in their UFC careers. Sylvia was a two-time heavyweight champion looking to stay at the top of the ladder, while Lesnar was set to make his debut in the promotion. Both fought and lost at UFC 81, with Sylvia losing an interim title fight to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira<\/a>, and Lesnar being submitted by Frank Mir<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Lesnar joined the UFC with plenty of hype around him as a former pro wrestling star with the WWE and the pedigree of a legitimate NCAA Division-I champion. Suffice to say, he was paid considerably more than the average first-timer when he joined the UFC roster. Sylvia has spoken in the past about his issues with Lesnar\u2019s compensation, and he revealed in a recent interview on the JAXXON<\/a> podcast that he actually asked the matchmakers if he could fight Lesnar for his contract.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was the heavyweight champ, we found out what they brought Brock Lesnar in [for],\u201d Sylvia said. He was getting [$300,000 to show and $300,000 to win] and money per pay-per-view buy, so every fight he was making over a million dollars back then. My contract was 100 and 100, so $200,000 on the win, I made maybe 40 or 50 in sponsors. Brock is getting a million and he\u2019s a nobody.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo like, \u2018Hey man, we want this contract. Why is he getting it?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Oh, he\u2019s a bigger name than you.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018How the f*ck is he a bigger name?\u2019 Because of wrestling. OK, let me fight Brock. If I win, I get his contract. If I lose, I\u2019ll go back, I won\u2019t say a word, I\u2019ll take my 100 and 100.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018No, we\u2019re trying to build him, we can\u2019t do that, it won\u2019t be a good fight for him. We\u2019re afraid for that fight.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Following the loss to Nogueira, Sylvia had one fight remaining on his contract and he claims the UFC told his management they would not be renewing it. Soon after, upstart MMA promotion Affliction came along offering Sylvia a three-fight contract starting off with a million for his first fight.<\/p>\n

That was a much more appealing prospect than what the UFC had on the table, which was a fight with Cheick Kongo<\/a> in England, where Sylvia\u2019s pay would be heavily taxed.<\/p>\n

\u201cEngland takes, what, 40 or 50 percent of your money?\u201d Sylvia said. \u201cSo I would have made 100 grand and my contract\u2019s over with, and if I lost, I wouldn\u2019t be as valuable. So we\u2019re like, OK, will you let us out of the contract and the UFC\u2019s like, \u2018Absolutely. He\u2019s gone. There you go, you\u2019re released.\u2019 They released me, and I signed with Affliction, and then Affliction announced it, and [the UFC] was pissed. They were pissed at me because I did that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just did something to better myself, and they thought I was trying to screw them. No, you weren\u2019t going to renew my contract. So what\u2019s the problem?\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite reigning as UFC champion on two occasions, Sylvia says he has never had a warm relationship with UFC boss Dana White<\/a>. He claims White shut the door for good on an octagon comeback in 2011 when Zuffa, LLC purchased the Strikeforce promotion and was in a stage of talent acquisition.<\/p>\n

Sylvia\u2019s manager Monte Cox attempted to work out a deal with the UFC, but Sylvia heard White himself shut it down.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is how I know Dana hates me,\u201d Sylvia said. \u201c[UFC matchmaker] Sean Shelby<\/a> gets a hold of us when Strikeforce is getting ready to go under and he goes, \u2018We\u2019ve got an offer for Tim if he\u2019s willing.\u2019 Monte is like, \u2018What is it?\u2019 Forty-forty, fifty-fifty, sixty-sixty. \u2018Well, what\u2019s the deal?\u2019 [Shelby] goes, \u2018First fight is going to be in Strikeforce, it\u2019s going to be against [Daniel Cormier<\/a>].\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cMonte\u2019s like, \u2018We\u2019ll take it, but his next two fights are guaranteed in the UFC. Even if he loses his first two fights, he has three fights.\u2019 They\u2019re like, \u2018OK. Deal.\u2019 They send the contract. We sign it. We send it back and a week goes by, Monte\u2019s like, \u2018Hey, what\u2019s going on, Sean?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Dana just hasn\u2019t signed it yet.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018OK. Is he going to?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Yeah, he\u2019s just been busy.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother week goes by, \u2018What\u2019s going on, Sean?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Dana\u2019s not going to sign it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The relationship between Sylvia and White has remained frosty, with Sylvia taking a shot at White in 2020 for not offering to help him with arm surgery<\/a>, and White rarely having anything nice to say about the former UFC heavyweight star.<\/p>\n

Sylvia has no interest in dredging up his feud with White and there\u2019s a part of him holding out hope he can make it into the UFC Hall of Fame\u2014but not for himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m at my age where I don\u2019t hold any grudges,\u201d Sylvia said. [White] don\u2019t like me. Him and I didn\u2019t have a really good relationship. I wasn\u2019t a \u2018Yes, sir,\u2019 \u2018No, sir\u2019 type of guy. I said a lot of things. I speak the truth. I\u2019m from the east coast, if you want to know the truth, but it\u2019s going to hurt your feelings, don\u2019t ask me because I\u2019m going to tell you.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a lot of conflict, and then with the way I left and stuff, they got mad at me for it, going to Affliction, certain things happen. I had my arm break and the fans were all pissed off about I needed another surgery to get it fixed, and he wouldn\u2019t do it, but he spends a lot money at blackjack and stuff like that, he was just kind of talking shit, but like I said, it is what it is. I don\u2019t have a problem with him, I\u2019m too old to have grudges. Honestly, I kind of want to get into the Hall of Fame for my son, so I think I\u2019m kind of being blackballed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the UFC Hall of Fame is the Dana White Hall of Fame,\u201d Sylvia added. \u201cI don\u2019t care, I don\u2019t give a shit about it, but it\u2019d be cool for my son. My son\u2019s 14 and he\u2019s all about all that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Respect. Dan Hooker<\/a> isn\u2019t happy with the UFC<\/a> denying him tickets to watch teammate Kai Kara-France<\/a> at UFC 317<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hope. Cory Sandhagen<\/a> has his title shot\u2014and he doesn\u2019t think Merab Dvalishili is unbeatable<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Shots. Tom Aspinall<\/a> calls Michael Chandler<\/a> out for having \u201cbad fight IQ.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Oh? According to Khalil Rountree<\/a>, the new UFC gloves being abandoned<\/a> had nothing to do with comfort or performance.<\/p>\n

Help. Jon Anik<\/a> wonders if there needs to be a five-knockdown rule<\/a> to protect fighters after watching Mohammad Yahya<\/a> take a horrific beating at UFC Abu Dhabi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Backup. Caio Borralho<\/a> and Jiri Prochazka<\/a> are available to save upcoming title fights<\/a> at UFC 319 and UFC 320, respectively<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hope. Shavkat Rakhmonov<\/a>\u2019s family is OK following a terrible car accident<\/a> in Kazakhstan.<\/p>\n

ICYMI: UFC Abu Dhabi post-fight show.<\/p>\n

Rock Salt is real.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

And yet no bonus for Bogdan.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Watch some Tatsuro Taira<\/a> ahead of Saturday\u2019s UFC Vegas 108<\/a> main event.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

On To the Next One. MMA Fighting\u2019s Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee figure out what\u2019s next for a victorious Reinier de Ridder<\/a> and where he stands in the Fighter of the Year race, plus more future matchups for the winners of UFC Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The best knockouts of the week.<\/p>\n

Hilo con los mejores KOs\/TKOs de la semana. Top 15<\/p>\n

\u2014 Barrele la pierna (@Barrelelapierna) July 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

OK, Nate.<\/p>\n

Askren update.<\/p>\n

Real.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey never paint themselves into a situation where there\u2019s a clear No. 1 contender that has to fight for the belt next, because if they\u2019re ever in that situation, then negotiations obviously become very difficult for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not a sport & what TKO wants to bring to boxing. Gross https:\/\/t.co\/eKjdY8iwLJ<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/gchjiznLEd<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MMAFA (@MMAFA) July 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

How was this not the end of the fight?<\/p>\n

Petr Yan<\/a> is so damn good.<\/p>\n

Crying.<\/p>\n

Tatsuro Taira (16-1) vs. Hyun Sung Park<\/a> (10-0); UFC Vegas 108, Aug. 2<\/p>\n

Shout out to Tim Sylvia, one of the forgotten champions of the UFC\u2019s early boom period.<\/p>\n

Poll
\n Will Tim Sylvia be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame?<\/p>\n

If you find something you\u2019d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee<\/a> or @JedKMeshew<\/a> on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n