Introducing "The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights": Wes Sims

You already recognize some of names and faces from the upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” but there’s a lot you probably still don’t know about this group of 16 heavyweight warriors. Each weekday between now and the Sept. 16 premiere of “The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights,” FIGHT! will introduce two cast members leading up to the introduction of our TUF bloggers.

Wes Sims
Age: 29
Height: 6’10”
Weight: 260 lbs
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Trains: Lancaster, Ohio
MMA record: 22-12-1

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Sims was a star center on the basketball team at Amanda-Clearcreek High School and went on to the College of Mount Saint Joseph in Cincinnati. Upon his arrival at college, Sims decided to pursue a career in professional wrestling and dropped out after a semester to move back to Columbus in order to train. There, he linked up with Mark Coleman, who had dabbled in professional wrestling. Coleman had a better plan for Sims and convinced him to train in mixed martial arts, believing his size and length would be hard on opponents. Coleman’s instincts proved to be correct, and 10 years of training with Coleman’s Team Hammer House, Sims has compiled more than 20 wins, includin victories in his last three bouts by either knockout or submission.

Sims is no stranger to the Octagon, as he had three fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship between 2003 and 2004, including two losses to former heavyweight champion Frank Mir, with whom he had a heated rivalry. He longs to exact revenge against Mir and “The Ultimate Fighter” is his first step in doing so.

When he’s not training, the charismatic Sims is the owner of a mixed martial arts gym in Ohio and and serves as the chief of the local Police Athletic League which runs youth programs in karate, boxing and grappling.

Learn more about the cast of “The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights.”