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[Sakara=Excitement]

Manager: Despite antics, cage clown Wes Sims came to win at "Strikeforce: Miami" | MMAjunkie.com

At this past Friday's weigh-ins, Wes Sims was holding court and proudly showing off a T-shirt with a supposed strip club of a sponsor.

At Saturday's "Strikeforce: Miami" event, Sims kicked off his bout against Bobby Lashley with some pro-wrestling-inspired taunting. And even after his lopsided TKO loss, Sims joked with his opponent and the media in a post-fight press conference.

And while it may be easy to write off the veteran fighter as MMA's resident goofball, a representative for Sims said the fighter came to win and had far more riding on the line than most fans realize.

Sims (22-13-1 MMA, 0-1 SF), a former UFC fighter who recently appeared on "The Ultimate Fighter 10," was a late addition to Saturday's "Strikeforce: Mimi" card at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. The Florida State Boxing Commission wouldn't approve Lashley's initial opponent, Yohan Banks, for the fight, and Strikeforce officials ultimately ditched plans for a bout with journeyman Jimmy Ambriz.

With just 10 days before the show, the promotion settled on 6-foot-10 Sims, who provided another big man in the Goliath vs. Goliath matchup. Agent Ken Pavia then presented the fight to Sims.

"He came to me and said, 'Lashley is a tough guy, and I can beat him, but I'm not fighting him for than less than this,'" Pavia told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com). "He gave me the number, I went to Strikeforce, and they said, 'OK.'"

And though it may be easy to say Sims, who wasn't exactly in tip-top shape for his bout, simply looked for a quick payday, Pavia said the Ohio-based fighter had other motives.

"He took the fight because he thought he could win and expose Lashley," Pavia said. "Those factors motivated him to take the fight. He came to win the fight. Yeah, it was the biggest payday of his career, but that's not why he took the fight. He took it because he legitimately thought he could win, and if he won, all of the sudden – what was he, +700 (a 7-to-1 underdog)? If he wins, his career turns around overnight just like that."

Although Pavia wouldn't divulge the number, sources close to the event told MMAjunkie.com that Sims earned $25,000 for the fight (and about half that in additional sponsorship money). More importantly, if he won – on a nationally televised event on Showtime against a notable opponent – he was promised a second Strikeforce fight, one even more lucrative than the first.

"The way the deal was structured, it jumped in pay – significantly if he won," Pavia said. "So he was going to make real big money if he won."

Sims, of course, didn't. His opportunity to resurrect his career fell far short, and Lashley forced the TKO stoppage just a few minutes into the first round. (It was hard to tell if his cries of an early stoppage were sincere since he joked around so much at the start of the fight.)

But Sims will have another chance to knock off a big-name opponent and get his career back on track. Pavia said Sims fights former UFC champ Tim Sylvia at a March 20 event in Youngstown, Ohio, which is expected to be held under the Adrenaline MMA banner.

The event, though, has not officially been announced.

[Y2JUBAE]

Translation: Despite being an asshole, "no-game" Sims actually wanted to make more money.

I'd really hate to have this guys job. Having to try and spin and justify the actions of Wes Sims! LOL! Good luck with that. Wes is not all there. He really is a tough dude, he just has no skills. I mean to be in MMA this long and show up at TUF and SF looking the way he did... "One weeks notice". NO shit, however, how much notice would it take to get you in shape? From the looks of it, I'd say 6 months. 3 just to get in good enough shape just to be able to train. You are either a fighter or you aren't. Koz, Forrest... Those guys live in the gym, they are ready to go year round, those are fighters. Randy at almost 50 stays in shape.

I really think this resurfacing of Wes is just Wes trying to get a reality show or something. If he really wanted to be a fighter, he would train like it. Then again, nobody progresses at the Coleman Camp. Nobody. (Not sure he even still trains there?) That camp has always seemed to be raw talent/no guidance. Randleman should be dominating with his ability. Instead, he is beaten by Mike "who is mike white head" Whitehead. (Rampage Reference.) K, I'm getting off-subject...

So, where is Wes Sims in regards to ranking or level? Is there any known names out there that he could fight and it be considered "competitive"? Hell, I think Tank would destroy him and Tank's way past prime and hasn't seen a gym in 30 years.

[MickeyKnox]

Tim beat the hell out of Wes last time they fought. Im going to enjoy watching that one.

[Pasha K]

And how he expected to win and "expose" Lashley if he is completely out of shape?

[The_Mab69]

I love Wes Sims

[joeodd2]

Wes Sims vs Don Frye........I would buy tickets to the press conference, weigh inn and any other thing where those two would talk trash to each other. The fight would be icing on the cake

[beau420]

Originally Posted by Y2JUBAE

Translation: Despite being an asshole, "no-game" Sims actually wanted to make more money.

I'd really hate to have this guys job. Having to try and spin and justify the actions of Wes Sims! LOL! Good luck with that. Wes is not all there. He really is a tough dude, he just has no skills. I mean to be in MMA this long and show up at TUF and SF looking the way he did... "One weeks notice". NO shit, however, how much notice would it take to get you in shape? From the looks of it, I'd say 6 months. 3 just to get in good enough shape just to be able to train. You are either a fighter or you aren't. Koz, Forrest... Those guys live in the gym, they are ready to go year round, those are fighters. Randy at almost 50 stays in shape.

I really think this resurfacing of Wes is just Wes trying to get a reality show or something. If he really wanted to be a fighter, he would train like it. Then again, nobody progresses at the Coleman Camp. Nobody. (Not sure he even still trains there?) That camp has always seemed to be raw talent/no guidance. Randleman should be dominating with his ability. Instead, he is beaten by Mike "who is mike white head" Whitehead. (Rampage Reference.) K, I'm getting off-subject...

So, where is Wes Sims in regards to ranking or level? Is there any known names out there that he could fight and it be considered "competitive"? Hell, I think Tank would destroy him and Tank's way past prime and hasn't seen a gym in 30 years.

James 'Colossus' Thompson, Kazuyuki Fujita (might be too good), Bob Sapp, Ken Shamrock (if he wasn't fighting Seth P, and he would probably wrestle Wes to the ground and pound him out) Ruben Villareal (that would be interesting, Warpath might actually win that one) or if Ray Sefo wants to try MMA again, feed Wes Ray Sefo....or Mighty Mo. Gary Goodridge, Jimmy Ambriz, Hong Man Choi.

I'd watch him fight any of those guys.....He might be half the guys I mentioned.....or at least 1 or 2 of them.

[Pasha K]

Wes Sims vs Ruben Villarreal or Jimmy Ambriz would be interesting to see.
Actually I think that Wes would have a chance against them.