Tim Sylvia, a former two-time heavyweight champion in the UFC, recently made a bold statement, claiming that he would have “destroyed”  Francis Ngannou in his prime. Sylvia’s comments, shared during an episode of the Submission Radio show, sparked widespread disbelief and criticism from fans.

People widely regard Sylvia’s tenure as a heavyweight champion in the UFC as lackluster. Many fans view him as the worst champion in the history of the division. MMA Fighting shared Sylvia’s controversial quote on their Instagram page, sparking a wave of reactions from fans who were quick to express their opinions on his claim.

Fans aren’t sure if  ‘Grandpa’ Tim Sylvia knows how good Francis Ngannou is

Skepticism met Sylvia’s assertion of being able to defeat Ngannou in his prime. Fans pointed out the lack of technical prowess displayed by Sylvia during his own prime.

One fan humorously remarked that Sylvia’s success stemmed more from the weaknesses of his opponents rather than his own skills. Others highlighted that many of Ngannou’s past opponents surpassed him in technical skills. Nevertheless, the consensus among fans was that Ngannou, regardless of technical prowess, possessed the ability to overpower and knock out any heavyweight in UFC history.

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Tim Sylvia is universally agreed upon to be the worst UFC heavyweight champ ever.

Delusional?

Okay, Grandpa…

Lol Tim wasn’t even good in his prime just everyone else sucked. Prime Francis sends prime Tim in to a coma

Bro is acting like most of Ngannou’s opponents weren’t better technicians than him

Technical or not Ngannou has a high chance of steamrolling and knocking out any heavyweight in UFC history

Says a guy who got whooped in his prime by a 50 yr old randy couture who was 30 pounds smaller

Fedor in his prime…now we’re talking

It’s a tough task for these older guys to understand the game is different now. I respect Tim, but he wouldn’t be top 15 in heavyweights shallow division these days

Sylvia was champ in the worst heavyweight era in UFC HISTORY

The sentiment expressed was that older fighters often struggle to adapt to the changing dynamics of the sport. Sylvia, although respected, is unlikely to rank among the top 15 heavyweights even in today’s shallow division.

Sylvia once fought a heavyweight boxing champion in a cage with MMA rules

In addition to his time in the UFC, Sylvia gained recognition for his unique cross-sport fight against former boxing champion Ray Mercer. This bout, which took place before the rise of celebrity boxing matches involving UFC fighters, showcased Sylvia’s willingness to step outside his comfort zone.

Mercer, a gold medalist at the 1988 Summer Olympics and a former WBO heavyweight titleholder delivered a stunning knockout victory over Sylvia in just seven seconds with a powerful overhand right. Despite Sylvia’s accomplishments, MMA fans have not regarded him with the same level of respect as his peers, such as Andrei Arlovski, Randy Couture, and Frank Mir.

Read More: Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou: Fans Roar in Discontent Over the Superfight Rumors

In conclusion, fans widely greeted Tim Sylvia’s assertion of being able to defeat Francis Ngannou in his prime with skepticism. His own track record and lack of technical skill during his prime raised doubts about his claim. It is clear that Sylvia has not achieved the same level of reverence from MMA fans as some of his contemporaries.

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