Seemingly out of nowhere, ex-UFC heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia has apparently been booked to fight five-time "World's Strongest Man", Mariusz Pudzianowski, on April 23rd.  Wow.  Mr. Monte Cox, the most respected manager in the game and also Sylvia's agent, has obviously been a busy man.

Sylvia's name has been spattered across news sites recently, but for the difficulties in securing a rematch with Wes Sims; a pairing which was originally declined by the Ohio commission, but was stamped today with the approval of a Canadian IFC event.  Sylvia is also waiting to hear about an opponent for DREAM's March 22nd show after he and Cox declined to fight Josh Barnett, so Sylvia and company definitely have a few irons in the fire.

Mariusz Pudzianowski walked through Marcin Najman in his MMA debut at KSW 12 last December, in a fight that was eerily reminiscent of the early NHB days when a ridiculously powerful man could get away with using brute force and berserk ferocity to simply beat the living crap out of someone.  There have always been fighters that make up for a lack of experience and technique with unparalleled athleticism and strength, and Pudzianowski may be MMA's best example yet.

 The Sylvia-Pudz scrap will take place in Worcester, Massachusetts under a promotion hailing from Korea called "Moosin", with heavyweight spectacle Eric "Butterbean" Esch co-promoting the event with Corey Fischer.  The card will also feature former UFC'ers Rich Clementi, Yves Edwards, and Houston Alexander.

***UPDATE***

 2/28/10- The KSW promoter says he is well aware that Mariusz Pudzianowski has been offered this fight against Tim Sylvia, but he believes the fight will not happen because it is scheduled too close to the May 7th KSW show that Pudzianowski is fighting in.  (MMARocks.pl via Bloody Elbow)