realkaps
09-05-2003, 11:15 AM
From Adcombat.com.......
UFC preview...Tim Sylvia!
Submitted by: Keith Mills
Posted On 09/05/2003
On September 26th defending Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia returns to the octagon to take on challenger Gan McGee. Tim won the Heavyweight belt back in February by convincingly defeating Ricco Rodriguez in 3:09 of the first round. Since ADCC News last spoke to Tim he has made great leaps, getting on the cover of several MMA magazines as well as most recently appearing on MTV’s Tom Green show on September 2nd. Due to most fans probably already hearing him speak about his fight with Ricco this update skips that topic.
KM: Normally when I do previews I try to ask people about their last opponents and next opponents but you are getting quite a lot of publicity right now. How are you handling the attention?
TS: I’m taking it in stride, no big deal. You mean the whole Tom Green thing and all that stuff?
KM: Yeah.
TS: It was fun. We kind of expected the way it went to go that way. We were hoping he would be more rational about it. He was pretty crazy and off the wall.
KM: I didn’t get a chance to see that myself. I take it you think this was a positive thing for the sport?
TS: Yeah, definitely. A lot of people on the Underground are going to rip it up but those on the Underground are dedicated fans. We’re trying to get a new fan base. It takes Tom Green to say ‘human cock fighting’ and ‘two men enter, one man leaves fight to the death’…it takes the MTV crowd to watch it that way and once they watch it they are going to be hooked and figure out all the rules to the sport anyway.
KM: Yeah. Take the Royce Gracie on a DC radio station recently. The host was a K-1 fan and asking Royce things like ‘so how does it feel to kick someone’s teeth in’ when Royce has never done that. In that sense reaching out to these new people did you find yourself in an awkward position being the spokesperson?
TS: No, not really. I thought it went well.
KM: You have also been on the cover of just about every MMA magazine.
TS: Yes, I have.
KM: So the publicity hasn’t gone to your head.
TS: No, not at all. I’m just ready to get in the ring and fight again.
KM: Speaking of which, what are your thoughts on fighting Gan McGee in the next UFC?
TS: It will be my toughest fight ever, definitely.
KM: Here is a guy who is finally pretty much your size.
TS: He’s bigger than me actually.
KM: By what 2”? Does that worry you at all?
TS: No.
KM: In the past you have used the reach advantage to your effect and here the tables might be turned.
TS: Yeah, I don’t think 2” is going to make a difference.
KM: Still, at your size I imagine training for somebody your size or larger is difficult. It’s not like Matt Hughes can wear stilts or something.
TS: Exactly. It’s hard finding training partners but I think I’m doing really well t it right now. I’m training high altitude so I’m going to be ready. I’ve been up in Utah training.
KM: Really! How is all that going?
TS: Good. I’m in Denver right now.
KM: For Jeremy Horn in the IFC? What is your role?
TS: I’m here to support him, to be his corner.
KM: Who is going to be your corner in the UFC?
TS: Pat Miletich, Jeremy Horn, Tony Fryklund.
KM: Yes! I do have a soft spot for Fryklund. He hasn’t fought since what, DangerZone?
TS: Oh, no. Tony just had a fight three weeks ago against Eugene Jackson. Choked him unconscious in the first round.
KM: That was Battleground? Sorry, I missed that. Has training changed at all since your fight against Ricco Rodriguez (UFC 41 2/28/03)?
TS: I think it’s a little bit harder actually. We want to make sure we keep the belt and make sure I represent.
KM: The word around backstage and front lines is the whole split between Monte Cox and Pat Miletich was overblown and is pretty much behind everybody. Is there anything to say on that?
TS: No, nothing at all.
KM: Here it is your second time in the UFC and you are the defending Heavyweight Champion, a co-headline event with Tito and Randy…are there any nerves involved?
TS: No, not really. Fortunately I stay pretty much relaxed. Hopefully I stay with that mentality and we can just go out there and kick some ass.
KM: Getting back to the publicity for a moment, usually when I preview fighters I leave them their private lives. Every super hero needs a secret identity is how I think of it. With all the publicity you have been getting talking about your childhood…the rest of Team Extreme hasn’t really had that drilling. Is that in any way uncomfortable?
TS: No, I mean a lot of people, all my close friends know about that situation and the rest of my family knows about it. The MMA community is pretty much a family now. They let it go and it doesn’t hurt. People know really all about me and my background.
KM: There is the debate as far as trying to build a fighter at what point is somebody’s private life is off limits or how much to dwell on somebody’s record. What is your perception? Is the way you have been projected how you want to be projected?
TS: So far yes. I think they have done really well with me and I’m happy with everything. They haven’t gotten as bad as the paparazzi like the movie stars and stuff so I’m fine with it.
KM: You don’t walk down the streets and get stopped for your autograph?
TS: It happens every now and then but it’s only one or two, not one or two hundred.
KM: Any thoughts on the rest of Team Extreme? Here we have Jason Black headlining the next Extreme Challenge, Jeremy is in the IFC…any thoughts on how the rest of the team is doing?
TS: I’m looking forward to Rich Franklin knocking the shit out of Edwin Dewees. I’m looking forward to him knocking him out.
KM: How much do you train with the rest of Team Extreme?
TS: Right now I’m one of the Heavyweights that has been training but I had to leave and come to Utah and stuff. Usually it is on a regular basis, usually there for moral support when the lighter guys train because I can’t really do much with them. I can probably grapple with them but sparring wouldn’t do them any good and it really doesn’t do me any good because they are so small.
KM: Is there anything besides altitude you found in Utah that you couldn’t get in Davenport?
TS: There are two heavyweights that are real consistent that come in twice a day that are just willing to train hard and stuff. I hurt my heavyweight Mark Hanssen training and Jeff had a broken hand coming off his last fight so he couldn’t really train. I didn’t really have good quality heavyweights to train with.
KM: Is there a gym in Utah you train with?
TS: I’m training out of Walt Bayless’ Combat Jiu-Jitsu.
KM: Ahhh! Okay.
TS: With Jennifer Howe and Alex Stibling.
KM: Going to be wrapping up training in about what, two weeks or so?
TS: It works for me to push the action in the first round and hopefully I’ll be gassing out Gan and coming out second round and knocking him out.
KM: I do think the whole altitude training is underrated.
TS: Yeah, it’s going to work well.
KM: Is this the first time you’ve done altitude training?
TS: Yes.
KM: So what advice can you give to people that are thinking about it?
TS: It’s really hard at first. Feels like an elephant is standing on your chest and you are trying to breathe.
KM: You think it’s worth it?
TS: Definitely.
KM: And you think that is going to give you the edge over Gan? TS: I think so.
KM: Sponsors to thank?
TS: Always. Full Contact Fighter and Joel Gold, Fairtex, Internationalsportswear.com, West Lake Mortgage, my chiropractor Mark Small, and Kazen supplements.
UFC preview...Tim Sylvia!
Submitted by: Keith Mills
Posted On 09/05/2003
On September 26th defending Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia returns to the octagon to take on challenger Gan McGee. Tim won the Heavyweight belt back in February by convincingly defeating Ricco Rodriguez in 3:09 of the first round. Since ADCC News last spoke to Tim he has made great leaps, getting on the cover of several MMA magazines as well as most recently appearing on MTV’s Tom Green show on September 2nd. Due to most fans probably already hearing him speak about his fight with Ricco this update skips that topic.
KM: Normally when I do previews I try to ask people about their last opponents and next opponents but you are getting quite a lot of publicity right now. How are you handling the attention?
TS: I’m taking it in stride, no big deal. You mean the whole Tom Green thing and all that stuff?
KM: Yeah.
TS: It was fun. We kind of expected the way it went to go that way. We were hoping he would be more rational about it. He was pretty crazy and off the wall.
KM: I didn’t get a chance to see that myself. I take it you think this was a positive thing for the sport?
TS: Yeah, definitely. A lot of people on the Underground are going to rip it up but those on the Underground are dedicated fans. We’re trying to get a new fan base. It takes Tom Green to say ‘human cock fighting’ and ‘two men enter, one man leaves fight to the death’…it takes the MTV crowd to watch it that way and once they watch it they are going to be hooked and figure out all the rules to the sport anyway.
KM: Yeah. Take the Royce Gracie on a DC radio station recently. The host was a K-1 fan and asking Royce things like ‘so how does it feel to kick someone’s teeth in’ when Royce has never done that. In that sense reaching out to these new people did you find yourself in an awkward position being the spokesperson?
TS: No, not really. I thought it went well.
KM: You have also been on the cover of just about every MMA magazine.
TS: Yes, I have.
KM: So the publicity hasn’t gone to your head.
TS: No, not at all. I’m just ready to get in the ring and fight again.
KM: Speaking of which, what are your thoughts on fighting Gan McGee in the next UFC?
TS: It will be my toughest fight ever, definitely.
KM: Here is a guy who is finally pretty much your size.
TS: He’s bigger than me actually.
KM: By what 2”? Does that worry you at all?
TS: No.
KM: In the past you have used the reach advantage to your effect and here the tables might be turned.
TS: Yeah, I don’t think 2” is going to make a difference.
KM: Still, at your size I imagine training for somebody your size or larger is difficult. It’s not like Matt Hughes can wear stilts or something.
TS: Exactly. It’s hard finding training partners but I think I’m doing really well t it right now. I’m training high altitude so I’m going to be ready. I’ve been up in Utah training.
KM: Really! How is all that going?
TS: Good. I’m in Denver right now.
KM: For Jeremy Horn in the IFC? What is your role?
TS: I’m here to support him, to be his corner.
KM: Who is going to be your corner in the UFC?
TS: Pat Miletich, Jeremy Horn, Tony Fryklund.
KM: Yes! I do have a soft spot for Fryklund. He hasn’t fought since what, DangerZone?
TS: Oh, no. Tony just had a fight three weeks ago against Eugene Jackson. Choked him unconscious in the first round.
KM: That was Battleground? Sorry, I missed that. Has training changed at all since your fight against Ricco Rodriguez (UFC 41 2/28/03)?
TS: I think it’s a little bit harder actually. We want to make sure we keep the belt and make sure I represent.
KM: The word around backstage and front lines is the whole split between Monte Cox and Pat Miletich was overblown and is pretty much behind everybody. Is there anything to say on that?
TS: No, nothing at all.
KM: Here it is your second time in the UFC and you are the defending Heavyweight Champion, a co-headline event with Tito and Randy…are there any nerves involved?
TS: No, not really. Fortunately I stay pretty much relaxed. Hopefully I stay with that mentality and we can just go out there and kick some ass.
KM: Getting back to the publicity for a moment, usually when I preview fighters I leave them their private lives. Every super hero needs a secret identity is how I think of it. With all the publicity you have been getting talking about your childhood…the rest of Team Extreme hasn’t really had that drilling. Is that in any way uncomfortable?
TS: No, I mean a lot of people, all my close friends know about that situation and the rest of my family knows about it. The MMA community is pretty much a family now. They let it go and it doesn’t hurt. People know really all about me and my background.
KM: There is the debate as far as trying to build a fighter at what point is somebody’s private life is off limits or how much to dwell on somebody’s record. What is your perception? Is the way you have been projected how you want to be projected?
TS: So far yes. I think they have done really well with me and I’m happy with everything. They haven’t gotten as bad as the paparazzi like the movie stars and stuff so I’m fine with it.
KM: You don’t walk down the streets and get stopped for your autograph?
TS: It happens every now and then but it’s only one or two, not one or two hundred.
KM: Any thoughts on the rest of Team Extreme? Here we have Jason Black headlining the next Extreme Challenge, Jeremy is in the IFC…any thoughts on how the rest of the team is doing?
TS: I’m looking forward to Rich Franklin knocking the shit out of Edwin Dewees. I’m looking forward to him knocking him out.
KM: How much do you train with the rest of Team Extreme?
TS: Right now I’m one of the Heavyweights that has been training but I had to leave and come to Utah and stuff. Usually it is on a regular basis, usually there for moral support when the lighter guys train because I can’t really do much with them. I can probably grapple with them but sparring wouldn’t do them any good and it really doesn’t do me any good because they are so small.
KM: Is there anything besides altitude you found in Utah that you couldn’t get in Davenport?
TS: There are two heavyweights that are real consistent that come in twice a day that are just willing to train hard and stuff. I hurt my heavyweight Mark Hanssen training and Jeff had a broken hand coming off his last fight so he couldn’t really train. I didn’t really have good quality heavyweights to train with.
KM: Is there a gym in Utah you train with?
TS: I’m training out of Walt Bayless’ Combat Jiu-Jitsu.
KM: Ahhh! Okay.
TS: With Jennifer Howe and Alex Stibling.
KM: Going to be wrapping up training in about what, two weeks or so?
TS: It works for me to push the action in the first round and hopefully I’ll be gassing out Gan and coming out second round and knocking him out.
KM: I do think the whole altitude training is underrated.
TS: Yeah, it’s going to work well.
KM: Is this the first time you’ve done altitude training?
TS: Yes.
KM: So what advice can you give to people that are thinking about it?
TS: It’s really hard at first. Feels like an elephant is standing on your chest and you are trying to breathe.
KM: You think it’s worth it?
TS: Definitely.
KM: And you think that is going to give you the edge over Gan? TS: I think so.
KM: Sponsors to thank?
TS: Always. Full Contact Fighter and Joel Gold, Fairtex, Internationalsportswear.com, West Lake Mortgage, my chiropractor Mark Small, and Kazen supplements.