Winner of upcoming Pedro Rizzo vs. Tim Sylvia fight to get a spot in the UFC
Former Ultimate Fighting Championships heavyweight stars (265lb) champions Pedro Rizzo and Tim Sylvia have just been given an opportunity to fight their way back into the promotion.
Rizzo, set to fight Sylvia in early 2011 at the War on the Mainland event, told graciemag.com that UFC president Dana White had promised the winner a spot in the UFC.
"Dana White mentioned that the winner should get another chance in the Ultimate Fighting Championship."
He said because the date for his fight hasn’t been set, no written agreement had been made, but he was still looking forward to it.
"As the date hasn’t been set, it’s just a verbal agreement, so I’m getting back to light training. But I want to have a good performance. Who knows? Maybe I’ll manage a return to the UFC. I feel really comfortable
fighting in that Octagon. I feel leaving there was the biggest mistake of my career, my great regret."
Rizzo left the UFC after unsuccessfully challenging for the heavyweight championship twice in 2001 against Randy Couture. While the second fight saw Rizzo by stoppage, the first was a five-round war that
saw him punish Couture’s leg kicks throughout the fight on the way to a controversial decision loss. After several more fights he went to Japan, to fight in the Pride Fighting Championships, but went 0-2 in the promotion. He has gone 5-2 since.
"I left on my own volition, but at that time I felt stagnant and the big heavyweight challenges were in Japan. I always went after the toughest matches, so I had to face the guys in Pride. What to do? It
didn’t work out,” said Rizzo to graciemag.com.
Sylvia, on the other hand, left the UFC after fighting for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 81, getting submitted in the third round.
He next challenged the number one heavyweight in the world, Fedor Emelianenko, in the Affliction promotion and was destroyed in under a minute. Next, he faced aging boxer Ray Mercer in an MMA match and
was humiliatingly knocked out in nine seconds. He’s since bounced back, winning three in a row.
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