Tim Sylvia Attending Open House at The Eastbrook Community Center Tomorrow

EASTBROOK — Heavyweight Tim Sylvia of Ultimate Fighting Championships fame will be greeting fans, friends and family at an open house tomorrow (Friday) from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Eastbrook Community Center.

Unfortunately, Sylvia won’t have the heavyweight championship belt he’s worn for the past 10 months.

In front of what the UFC called the largest live audience for a mixed martial arts event in U.S. history on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, Sylvia lost his title to UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture in a unanimous decision.

According to the UFC, more than 19,000 spectators were on hand as Couture came out of retirement to best Sylvia and win his third heavyweight title in Saturday’s main event.

Sylvia’s height and age advantage (6-8, 30) failed to make a difference to Coture (6-2, 43), who knocked the champion to the mat with a right hand in the first round.

Couture scored several takedowns and won each of the five rounds as he staged the upset that few believed he could pull off.

“Not bad for an old man,” said Couture when it was over.

Sylvia, who has only been beaten three times in his career so far, said Couture kept him off balance for the entire match. “He kept me guessing the whole 25 minutes.”

(Source)