The following is an exclusive pre-UFC 61 "Bitter Rivals" interview with Miletich fighting specialist and UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia. The interview was conducted by J.C. Weyand of
WWW.MMAFURY.TV on July 5, 2006.
MMAFURY.TV: How's it going today?
Tim Sylvia: Good. Busy, Everyone's calling me. (laughs)
MMAFURY.TV: You're fighting in the main event of UFC in a rubber match against Andrei Arlovski for the UFC Heavyweight title. How are you preparing for this fight?
Tim Sylvia: The same way prepared last time, to go out there and knock him out.
MMAFURY.TV: How does this fight differ from the last two times you've fought Arlovski?
Tim Sylvia: It doesn't differ anything from the second time we fought. It's a rubber match, obviously. He's won one - I've won one. This one's gonna settle all scores.
MMAFURY.TV: How's your preparation evolved from the first time you fought him to the 2nd time and now to the rubber match?
Tim Sylvia: The first time we fought, I wasn't ready to fight him. You know I just went out there and didn't give him a lot of respect, and I paid the price for it. We're doing the same thing we did to prepare for the last fight - training stand-up real hard, takedown defense, working on the ground. We plan to go out there and knock him out.
MMAFURY.TV: How have you changed as a fighter since the last time you guys met?
Tim Sylvia: I guess my hands have gotten even better since the last time we fought.
MMAFURY.TV: Some people, not me specifically, have called your win at UFC 59 a fluke. How do you respond to that?
Tim Sylvia: Tell them to fuck off and watch the fight.
MMAFURY.TV: (laughs) And watch UFC 61. Right on. After UFC 61, whom are you looking to fight?
Tim Sylvia: Um…I don't know. I don't talk about that until after this fight. Andrei's a tough guy and it's going to take a lot to get by him. Once I get by him, we can talk about that later.
MMAFURY.TV: Jeff Monson has been rumored to get a shot at the title at UFC 65. Is there any truth to that rumor?
Tim Sylvia: I have no idea.
MMAFURY.TV: Fair Enough. Brandon Vera also has been making some noise at Heavyweight with a recent win over Assuerio Silva. Do you see him as a potential upcoming fight?
Tim Sylvia: Well, once again, I'd be looking by people if I did. I see him as a Heavyweight contender, yes. If I keep winning, him and I will fight some day.
MMAFURY.TV: Do you think he's for real?
Tim Sylvia: Um…we'll see.
MMAFURY.TV: (laughs) What would you like to accomplish in the next year?
Tim Sylvia: I'd like to defend the belt probably three more times, three or four more times, and be known as the best Heavyweight the UFC has ever seen.
MMAFURY.TV: If you could fight one person from the UFC, PRIDE, or anywhere else, who would it be? A dream fight.
Tim Sylvia: A dream fight?
MMAFURY.TV: Yeah, a dream fight, for lack of a better term.
Tim Sylvia: I would like to fight Shamrock, just cause I think it'd be fun.
MMAFURY.TV: (laughs)
Tim Sylvia: I'd like to fight Nogueira to see how that'd go, maybe get it on with Cro-Cop and some of the other guys over there in PRIDE as well.
MMAFURY.TV: Is there anything else you'd like to say to your fans before we wrap up?
Tim Sylvia: Thanks to everyone who thinks the second fight wasn't a fluke. I want to thank them for being supportive and backing me up, of course.
MMAFURY.TV: Thank you for taking time to talk to MMAFURY.TV and good luck this Saturday.
Tim Sylvia: Thanks.
