Screws loose: Ex-UFC champ Tim Sylvia displays badly infected arm he broke fighting Frank Mir 16 YEARS ago (GRAPHIC VIDEO)

Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has been denied medical expenses by the UFC after an arm injury he suffered in a world title fight with Frank Mir in 2004 worsened as screws fitted in the surgery began LEAVING his body.

Sylvia was aiming to regain the vacant world championship going into the UFC 48 main event with Mir but would lose the fight just 50 seconds into the first round after referee Herb Dean noticed Sylvia's right forearm appear to 'snap' after being caught in an armbar submission by the grappling specialist. 

Intially furious, Sylvia protested the stoppage but would soon recant when he saw the footage of the clearly broken arm on the big screen. 

The giant heavyweight had surgery to insert screws into his forearm to aid the healing process shortly after the fight and returned to action just six months later. However, the scars of the battle with Mir nearly two decades ago still run deep today.

The 44-year-old giant heavyweight has taken to Instagram to give an update on his arm which he says has been "bothering him" for a round a year - and once glance at the accompanying photograph clearly shows why, as they screws fitted in the 2004 surgery have begun to "leak" out of his arm.

What's more, Sylvia says that contact has been made with the UFC but they are refusing to cover medical costs after paying for the initial surgery many years ago.

"So my arm been giving me problems for over a year now," Sylvia explained.

"The screws are backing out from my arm break when I fought Frank Mir. My doctor contacted the UFC because it was paid for by them the first time. Sort of under workman’s compensation. 

"The UFC says it’s not their problem and will not cover it. I don’t have insurance and it’s going to cost well over 10,000 dollars to get fixed. Any thoughts on what I should do?"

Several of Sylvia's fans called for UFC president Dana White to fund further surgery for the former fighter, while others have suggested that he organize a crowd-funding effort.

Elsewhere in the comments, multiple-time world champion Cris Cyborg said that this should serve as a warning to younger fighters as to the potential dangers which can come with a career in the cage.

"2x world champion," the Brazilian wrote.

"I hope younger fighters are paying attention."

Sylvia hasn't competed in mixed martial arts since a 2013 loss to Ruslan Magomedov and has faced a who's who of MMA talent throughout his career, including the likes of Randy Couture, Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. 

But now the main known in his heyday as "The Maineiac" is looking for help to make his post-fighting career less painful.