Bobby Lashley was in studio with the guys from "Inside MMA" recently, and wouldn’t you know it, they just happened to have the results of an online poll question about who Lashley should fight next.  Fans agree that Brett Rogers would make the most interesting next opponent, but Lashley isn’t even trying to pretend that he wants that fight.  In the twisted caverns of his mind, it makes no sense to fight any somewhat credible opponent unless it’s the champ.

"Either let me fight the way I want to, build up and get a few fights under my belt and then work my way up there, or let me fight the champ."

All due respect here Bobby, but that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

It seems fairly obvious that Lashley doesn’t really want to fight Overeem any more than he wants to fight "The Grimm."  The difference is, he knows one of those fights is a realistic possibility and the other isn’t.  By imploring Strikeforce to either give him another tomato can opponent or else give him an immediate and wholly unearned title shot, he thinks he’s improving his chances of getting the tomato can. 

It’s an old trick, and one we’ve all used before.  For instance, you really want to go to Chili’s for dinner on Valentine’s Day.  You know your girlfriend isn’t going to be very enthusiastic about that idea, so you give her two choices: Chili’s or the Sbarro at the mall.  You know very well that no one in the history of food has ever said, ‘I’d rather go to Sbarro.’  Suddenly, Chili’s starts to look like a pretty good option.

Lashley’s problem is that a) his scheme is painfully transparent, and b) no one goes from Wes Sims to Alistair Overeem, not even in Japan, and we all know it.  Suck it up and fight someone, Bobby.  That’s what they pay you for.