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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia is looking for his fifth straight win tonight on HDNet when he takes on former Ultimate Fighter contestant Abe Wagner at Titan Fighting Championships 16 in Kansas City. But when Sylvia enters the cage this evening, it will be at one of heaviest weights he's ever fought.
Sylvia weighed in fully clothed on Thursday in Kansas City, tipping the scales at 311 lbs. By contrast, Wagner was only .2 lbs. over the 265 lb. weight limit the heavyweight division employs. Sylvia's 311 lb. weight was his highest weigh-in ever, as the previous high for him was 310 lbs. prior to his infamous bout with boxer Ray Mercer.
In that fight, a very out of shape Sylvia was cracked with an overhand right and tumbled to the canvas like a tree in the forest just seconds into the fight. Still hoping to make a return to a big show, Sylvia will attempt to keep on track in this fight, but to get the call back he'll need to start proving he can make the heavyweight limit on a regular basis.
Penick's Analysis: I don't think Sylvia will be getting a call from a big show soon if he's showing up like this to fights. He did step up on shorter notice for this one and did just fight last month, but 45 lbs. over the heavyweight limit is not a good sign for him. Especially when the last time he weighed-in at a similar weight resulted in his most embarrassing career loss. This is another fight he should win, and it would mean five straight, but he's going to need to show up in better shape the next time he takes a fight.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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