Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has become the new Slap Heavyweight Champion after winning his debut match by knockout. Following this victory, it appears that MMA legend Mark Coleman has made it clear that he is ready to square off with Sylvia in the next event. It’s interesting to note that this isn’t Dana White’s infamous and reviled Powerslap league -but a different promotion.
Seems that White’s lobbying for slapping to get sanctioned opened the doors for other promoters as well.
Tim Sylvia secured his victory in Oklahoma City last Saturday night, making his successful debut in the Slap Fighting arena. This was his first ‘competition’ since his defeat by Ruslan Magomedov in October 2013.
Mark Coleman, who retired in 2015, made the announcement on Instagram that he is willing to face Sylvia in the next event. He stated that if Sylvia wins his current bout, he has agreed to compete in slapping against him next. Age does not seem to be a concern for Coleman, who is now 58 years old and has an impressive record in the MMA world.
Mark Coleman is a UFC Hall of Famer and a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, as well as the winner of UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournaments. He last competed in the UFC in February 2010, where he lost to Randy Couture. Coleman’s return to the ring is a sad testament to the fact that there are plenty of people that made the UFC great and they got nothing in return.
In the world of Slap, age is not a hindrance to success. Competitors of all ages are welcome to participate and compete, and the audience eagerly anticipates each and every bout. Well those are the rules at least until someone gets seriously hurt. Coleman was on the receiving end of at least 500 significant strikes over the course of his professional MMA career.
While it remains to be seen who will win in the upcoming event featuring Mark Coleman and Tim Sylvia, it is sure to be a sad case of UFC veterans that have struggled to find their footing outside of the cage