White: Why Arlovski is in, Sylvia’s not
Dana White: “People think that because he did that, I have some – I never, ever fault somebody for trying to better their life, and he had a better deal.”
When the UFC announced it would be holding its first show in Maine on Aug 16 in Bangor, Maine born and raised former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, 38, wanted in.
“Just found out the UFC is doing a show in one if my home towns in Bangor Maine,” he tweeted. “Would give anything to fight on this card in aug.”
However, Saturday night Sylvia announced that he will be fighting UFC vet Christian Morecraft in September. The move indicates that Sylvia no longer believes he will be signing to fight in the UFC.
The UFC recently resigned Sylvia’s long time nemesis, Andrei Arlovski.
In a recent interview with MMAJunkie, UFC president Dana White explained why AA is in and Maine-iac is not.
Tim Sylvia, I think he’s 0-3-1 in his last four fights,” said White. “It’d be tough to bring him in to the UFC with [that record] outside the UFC.
White contrasted that with Arlovksi’s 6-1 run, with the sole loss coming to top UFC contender Anthony Johnson.
He’s on a win streak, said White. I like him. I have a lot of respect for him and his people.
He left the UFC to go fight somewhere else. People think that because he did that, I have some – I never, ever fault somebody for trying to better their life, and he had a better deal. This ain’t f—ing Bellator. A guy tries to better his life, we’re not going to try to destroy the guy and sue him to death and hold up his career and do that.