Tim Sylvia: 'It’s not my fault the UFC didn’t give me tougher competition'

Keep fighting the good fight!

Apparently, that's the mantra former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia is living by these days.

After making a video expressing his desire to return to the world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and pleading with fans to get the word out to the higher ups at Zuffa to make it happen, UFC President Dana White quickly shot down any hopes of bringing "The Maine-iac" back into the fold in his UFC on FUEL TV post-fight show remarks:

"I have no beef with Tim Sylvia whatsoever, I have nothing against the guy, but I say it all the time: that was when the division was the weakest, when he was champion. And for him to make a statement like he could come back and beat 80-percent of the fighters in the UFC? The last time I saw him, he got knocked out by a 50-year-old boxer in like 10 seconds. Him and Arlovski were knocking each other out every weekend."

Ouch!

Now, Sylvia is back at it again, saying he busted his hump for the promotion during his heyday. He also tells Bleacher Report he can't be blamed for not having higher quality opponents during his glory days with the promotion.

"Absolutely [it hurts]. It's very irritating. He never said that when I was there. I thought I had a great relationship with everybody in the UFC. It is hurtful. I busted my ass for years in his fights to become champion, not once, but twice...it's not my fault the UFC didn't bring in better guys to the division when I was there. That's got nothing to do with me. I fought who they put in front of me. I never declined anybody."

Sylvia, yet again, goes on to express his displeasure at seeing "bums" fighting in the UFC, especially ones that he is positive he can defeat:

"I'm sick and tired of watching a bunch of bums fight in the UFC. Guys that I know I can beat... They told [manager Monte Cox], 'Tim needs to keep winning. Keep putting wins together.' I've done that and nothing happened. And there are guys in there I think are absolutely horrible...Yeah, I've got an attitude about it. I'm tired of it. I've got to make my own destiny."

One can't fault the former champ for trying to get back into the promotion, as Dana White himself stated, "The guy's just out there trying to get back into the UFC, trying to make a living, I get it."

But is he fighting a losing battle?

UFC higher ups obviously aren't in a hurry to bring Sylvia back into the mix and with the Strikeforce heavyweights dissolving, that makes it all but impossible for the big man to return to the big leagues.

Undeterred, the former heavyweight kingpin is not giving up anytime soon and is determined to get back to where he made a name for himself as a fighter and make a run for the title one last time:

"I truly believe if I was given the opportunity, I could go all the way to a title shot. There's no doubt in my mind. I could put five or six wins together in the UFC right now. But the fans need to keep doing what they are doing. Keep tweeting Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta. They say they aren't, but I know they are seeing all these tweets. Keep supporting me, I love you guys. In the past I've told fans, 'If you don't like me, to hell with you.' But you know what? If you're a fan of MMA, I love you no matter what."

Are you Maniacs doing your part to support the biggest "Maine-iac" of them all?