Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia retires from MMA after MRI issue

Ex-UFC fighter Tim Sylvia has called time on a fourteen-year fight career after being refused fight clearance this weekend.

Sylvia (31-10-1NC) was due to take on Juliano Coutinho at a Reality Fighting card on Saturday night but the fight was called off after The Maine-Iac was declared unable to fight by the Mohegan Department of Athletic Regulation. “This is the end of my career,” Sylvia announced at the arena. “They said that I’ve received enough damage over 16 years." Sylvia's manager Monte Cox took to Facebook to say that he wasn't “100 percent sure” why Sylvia was denied the clearance but said that “because of his age he had to do a lot of meds at last minute… in all he needed a stress test, MRI, EKG, eye, blood and physical.” Sylvia had just lost his previous three fights before which he was knocked unconscious by an illegal soccer kick at the hands of former UFC rival Andrei Arlovski. In 2006, Tim Sylvia was considered the baddest man on the planet as he defended the UFC heavyweight title twice before being dethroned by Randy Couture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgrxeLzcXx4 In recent years, though, he has looked a far cry from his former glory which came to a head this past weekendas he weighed in at a reported 371lbs, over 100lbs heavier than the UFC heavyweight limit. As sad as we are to see an MMA legend hang up his gloves for the last time, we're glad he's getting out before it's too late. H/t to MMAJunkie