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Report: Fedor-Sylvia Set for July Showdown

Apr 8, 2008 4:06 PM John Chandler


Tim Sylvia weighs-in for UFC 77: Hostile Territory. Photo property of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Update 7:35 PM ET: MMA Weekly is reporting through sources close to Tim Sylvia’s camp that Sylvia has verbally agreed to the fight but nothing has been signed as of yet.

In a heavyweight showdown years in the making, former PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko will reportedly take on former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia in the main event of a potential Affliction Clothing-promoted show at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas.

The news comes from Sherdog.com, which confirmed the bout with Emelianenko himself earlier today via telephone.

“Sylvia is a good fighter, a strong fighter, the former UFC heavyweight champion, which is important,” Emelianenko said. “I am looking forward to fighting him and training hard for this fight.”

Sources close to the fight have said that the event will likely be aired on HDNet.

Emelianenko was recently granted his official release from his contractual obligations to M-1 Global, of which he signed a letter of intent to compete inside the confines of the promotion late last year.

The native Russian’s decision to work with Affliction officials now likely means that the potential of him signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship or Elite Xtreme Combat will be put on hold, at least for the near future. MMA fans will delight in the fact that Sylvia will be Fedor’s first highly-ranked opponent in close to three years.

Sylvia recently left his long-time home of the UFC in favor of inking a multi-fight deal with manager Monte Cox’s recently created Adrenaline MMA organization. The contract is non-exclusive and will permit Sylvia to fight in other organizations.

The Miletich Fighting Systems product’s parting ways with the UFC, the organization in which he fought exclusively in since 2002, was mutual on both sides according to Sylvia, who still had one fight remaining on his current contract with the promotion. However Sylvia has maintained that he would like to return to the UFC to finish out his career.

Sylvia is coming off of his second straight loss in yet another bid to regain his heavyweight title. He was submitted by interim champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 81: Breaking Point in February.

Fedor Emelianenko • Tim Sylvia • Heavyweight

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Comments:

1. MCx2
from Stuart, FL
Apr 8, 2008 8:36 PM

I for one am satisfied. Only so many matches that could/should be made with Fedor being involved and this is one.

2. John Chandler
from Philadelphia, PA
Apr 8, 2008 8:42 PM

Agreed. So much backstory on this one that it’ll be interesting to see how the fight is marketing in the months and weeks leading up to it. The biggest thing I’m excited about though is that Fedor is actually going to be fighting a top 10 heavyweight for the first time since Cro Cop. (Or maybe Mark Hunt since some had him ranked around 10th)

3. Drewplata
Apr 9, 2008 5:55 AM

Any independent verification of the under card?

4. John Chandler
from Philadelphia, PA
Apr 9, 2008 8:08 AM

Nothing official as of right now. One rumored matchup I keep on hearing is Andrei Arlovski vs. Ben Rothwell, but again I can’t confirm it. Josh Barnett, Aleksander Emelianenko, and Eddie Alvarez are some other names I’ve heard being thrown around.

5. Kevin
Apr 16, 2008 4:30 PM

There have been alot of rumors around this one.  I certainly hope it happens, and stylistically, I think Fedor should be able to take the W by submission, but only after a great fight.

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