Fat MMA Fighter's Struggles Summarize How America Sucks

The trials of overweight, broken-down former UFC heavyweight champ parallel how far the United States has really fallen; He's packed on pounds as we've packed on pounds of debt.

Tim Sylvia's struggle to return to the UFC is one that parallels the current struggles of America and American society as a whole.

For those who don't know, Sylvia was once the proverbial king of the world. He defeated hated rival Andrei Arlovski in a then-famous trilogy of fights and was the UFC heavyweight champion; he was at the top of the mountain.

However, the pursuit of more money eventually took Sylvia's life to new lows.

After being dominated by Russian phenom Fedor Emelianenko in the Affliction promotion (you know, the people who make those awful shirts), he was knocked out by aged boxer Ray Mercer in only nine seconds.

It was one of the worst moments in MMA history and without a doubt the most embarrassing moment in Sylvia's career (aside from crapping himself in the cage; he really did that once).

After the fall from grace, Sylvia would string up some wins over minor competition (all of these fights were above the 265-pound limit; Sylvia ballooned up to super-heavyweight), but was then unceremoniously beat down at the hands of UFC reject Abe Wagner.

Sylvia is on a two-fight winning streak after the loss and is pleading with the UFC for one last chance. He has a whole twitter campaign devoted to returning. He is desperately clawing at one last shot at redemption.

It's kind of sad. So to is the fall of the United States. So too are the lives of many Americans.

The United States was once in a similar position to Sylvia, as were Americans who had found success (and perhaps also a touch of complacency but that's neither here nor there) in their fields.

And, just as Sylvia sought more money, the greedy banks, and perhaps some greedy Americans, sought more and more money until the economy collapsed.

America was damaged, and people were broke and broken, as broken as Sylvia was after the loss to Mercer and Wagner.

America and it's people ballooned with debt as Sylvia ballooned with fat.

But, just as Sylvia picked himself up and hungered for success rather than cake and ice cream, so to do the United States and Americans hunger for redemption in the form of the 2012 presidential elections.

Thus, Tim Sylvia's struggle is one that reminds the nation of how far it's fallen, and how far it has to climb back up in the wake of decadence and weakness.