Tim Sylvia has a chance to become a three-time champion when he faces former PRIDE champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for the interim UFC heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 81 on Saturday night at 7 on pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Sylvia-Nogueira is the kind of matchup that usually would garner all the attention. It’s an opportunity to continue the UFC vs. PRIDE debate. It’s a clash of styles with Sylvia’s size and striking against Nogueira’s incredible Jiu-Jitsu and submissions.

But Sylvia-Nogueira is being overshadowed by the UFC debut of former WWE champion Brock Lesnar, who faces former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir on the same card.

“I’ll be paying a lot of close attention to it (Lesnar-Mir) because, obviously, the winner is going to get a title shot down the road and I plan on becoming the champ again,” Sylvia said. “Brock’s done a lot in the WWE. He’s got a big name. They are promoting this as is the wrestler going to beat the fighter? They are trying to hype it up that way. I understand the whole philosophy behind him getting all the exposure.”

Sylvia might understand the philosophy, but it’s easy to see that under the surface he feels it is a sign of disrespect that Lesnar is receiving so much hype.

Sylvia has never been a fan favorite. There are those that always pull for whoever Sylvia is facing because they believe he has an unfair advantage because of his 6-8, 265-pound frame.

There are internet message boards devoted to goofing on him because he used to wear his championship belt from the club to the buffet to the fights and all points in between during his championship reigns.

“I think with the true fans and the people that are knowledgeable about the sport I do (get the proper respect),” Sylvia said. “You got your average bozos that don’t know anything about the sport, who see Brock coming in or see these superstars like (internet street-fighting sensation) Kimbo Slice, who really haven’t done anything, and they think they are studs.”

The UFC put the interim label on the title fight between Sylvia and Nogueira because of its dispute with UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture and his resignation from the organization. Sylvia said he has no control over that and he just wants to prove he is the best heavyweight in the world.

“I’m happy that I get to fight Nogueira,” Sylvia said. “I’ve been wanting to fight him for a long time. He’s a great fighter and it’s going to prove a lot of things, the whole dispute with PRIDE and the UFC. They were always saying PRIDE heavyweights were better. Lately, we haven’t seen that and Nogueira currently is ranked a little higher than me. I truly believe I can go in there and beat him.”

If he is successful against Nogueira, Sylvia would love a rematch against Mir. Sylvia and Mir hooked up at UFC 48 in 2004. Mir locked in an armbar and broke Sylvia’s arm, but Sylvia never tapped out, forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight.

“I think everyone knows I want to fight him (Mir) real bad,” Sylvia said, “so I’m pulling for Frank because we have some unfinished business.”

CARLOS ARIAS/The Register

carias@ocregister.com

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 at 5:01 pm and is filed under MMA, Ultimate Fighting Championship. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.