This Week’s MMA Birthdays: Tim Sylvia Turns 38

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One of three men -- Randy Couture and Cain Velasquez are the others -- to have captured the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s undisputed heavyweight crown on more than one occasion, Tim Sylvia will celebrate his 38th birthday on March 5.

A Pat Miletich disciple, Sylvia started his career 16-0, defeating Ricco Rodriguez by first-round technical knockout at UFC 41 to become heavyweight champion for the first time. Though he was later stripped of the title after a positive test for anabolic steroids, “The Maine-iac” recaptured the championship with a first-round TKO against Andrei Arlovski at UFC 59 in April 2006. Sylvia and the UFC parted ways following a submission defeat to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira less than two years later. He has compiled a 7-6 record since, including embarrassing knockout losses to Ray Mercer and Abe Wagner.

Sylvia last appeared under the Fight Nights banner in Russia in October, when he dropped a unanimous decision to the once-beaten Ruslan Magomedov. Currently on a three-fight losing streak, Sylvia will face Karol Bedorf at KSW 26 on March 22 in Warsaw, Poland.

Those in MMA celebrating a birthday during the week covering March 2-March 8:

MARCH 2

Heath Herring (36)

MARCH 3

Rob Broughton (31)
Renato Velame (31)
Richard White (27)

MARCH 4

Abe Wagner (34)

MARCH 5

Tim Sylvia (38)
Chris Cope (31)

MARCH 6

Tsuyoshi Kosaka (44)
Anthony Johnson (30)

MARCH 7

Eun-Su Lee (32)
Xavier Foupa-Pokam (32)

MARCH 8

Marlon Sandro (37)

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