Bobby Lashely vs. UFC vet Wes Sims (finally) set for "Strikeforce: Miami"
A rumored bout between heavyweights Wes Sims (22-12-1 MMA, 0-0 SF) and Bobby Lashley (4-0 MMA, 0-0 SF) finally has materialized for next week's "Strikeforce: Miami" card, sources close to the event today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (http://www.mmajunkie.com).
Sims has been tapped as a final replacement to face the part-time pro wrestler after two opponents fell by the wayside.
Lashley, who on Tuesday told MMAjunkie.com he was still training hard for an unnamed opponent, will have a little more than a week to prepare for the 6-foot-10 Sims.
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"Strikeforce: Miami" takes place Jan. 30 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., and airs on Showtime. A bout between Nick Diaz and DREAM champion Marius Zaromskis for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight belt headlines the event.
Things started to go awry for Strikeforce and Lashley on Jan. 15 when the Florida State Boxing Commission declined to approve Yohan Banks (1-1 MMA, 0-0 SF) as Lashley's opponent on the grounds that the fight was "not competitive."
One day later, the FSBC approved veteran journeyman Jimmy Ambriz to face Lashley, but Strikeforce officials nixed the bout on Tuesday for unknown reasons. Heavy.com's Jeremy Botter then reported Sims was under consideration for the open slot.
Sims, a three-time UFC veteran, resurfaced this past fall on "The Ultimate Fighter 10," where he was choked unconscious in the first round of the exhibition tournament and acted as court jester between fights. Professionally, he is currently riding a three-fight win streak and most recently scored a KO victory over Jason DeAngelo at Full Contact Fight Series 29.
It could be a busy spring for Sims; according to a Twitter message and Web site posting from Tim Sylvia, the former UFC champ meets Sims at a "March 20 event in Ohio." However, the Ohio Athletic Commission currently has no events set for the date, and Sylvia's manager, Monte Cox, could not immediately be reached for clarification on the fight.
Lashley, who still mixes his MMA career with pro wrestling (first with WWE and now with TNA), most recently appeared at an Ultimate Chaos event this past June, where he submitted the gargantuan Bob Sapp with punches in the first round.
Lashley vs. Sims is part of the televised portion of "Strikeforce: Miami."
The official card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis (for vacant welterweight title)
* Champ Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. Marloes Coenen (for women's featherweight title)
* Robbie Lawler vs. Melvin Manhoef
* Bobby Lashley vs. Wes Sims
* Greg Nagy vs. Herschel Walker
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Jay Hieron vs. Joe Riggs
* Pablo Alfonso vs. Marcos da Matta
* Michael Byrnes vs. David Zitnik
* Sabah Homasi vs. John Kelly
* David Gomez vs. Craig Oxley
* Hayder Hassan vs. Ryan Keenan
For complete coverage of "Strikeforce: Miami," stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.