Archives > Sports Update
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
It's Showtime: A debut fit for a king
BY Matt Welch Staff Writer
In a sport like mixed martial arts, where hundreds of thousands of athletes are working to find a niche, it doesn’t take much to notice the prowess of Muhammed Lawal.
The Plano East alumnus and former state champion has taken an All-American-caliber amateur wrestling career and blossomed into one of MMA’s more charismatic and highly-touted prospects.
Boasting an undefeated record, Lawal takes the next step in his young career Saturday evening when he competes at “Strikeforce: Evolution,” airing on Showtime at 9 p.m.
“I’ve always wanted to do [MMA],” Lawal said. “With my boxing and judo backgrounds, I’d work it from time to time, but I never consistently stuck with it like I should have.”
After falling just shy in his bid for a spot on the 2008 Olympic wrestling team, Lawal’s professional MMA debut came in a notably unorthodox fashion.
It would be four fights over the course of 11 months before Lawal set foot to compete on U.S. soil, initially plying his craft overseas in Japan. Training in California with notable fight camp Team Quest, Lawal built up rapport with Japanese fight officials as a cornerman for teammate Jason “Mayhem” Miller.
Upon plans to debut with fight promotion World Victory Road, Lawal’s first in-ring foray was bumped forward a bit after being tapped to fill in as a last-minute replacement for Roger Gracie at “Sengoku: Fifth Battle” in Sept. 2008.
“[Gracie] could have fought me, but my name wasn’t big enough,” Lawal said. “Instead, he chose to fight [Ultimate Fighting Championships veteran] Travis Wiuff instead. Well then, Gracie pulls out the week of the fight and they called me up. I rolled out to Japan and took the fight.”
But before Lawal so much as set foot in the ring against the salty veteran, he turned more than a few heads with one of the sport’s more intriguing entrances. Filled to the brim with charisma, Lawal walked down the entry ramp of the Yoyogi National Gymnasium donning a crown and robe, surrounded by a number of valets.
What was an old nickname during Lawal’s wrestling days became his now-popular fight moniker, “King Mo.”
“I’m a showman,” Lawal said. “I was that way in wrestling and I’m the same way now. The whole entrance was my idea … Sengoku liked it and I did it.”
Despite being an unknown commodity and an obvious underdog against the more established, battle-tested Wiuff, Lawal needed just over two minutes before flooring the veteran with a right hand. An ensuing barrage of punches forced a stoppage and ultimately, the upset victory in Lawal’s pro debut.
Living up to the billing of his entrance, Lawal said it’s all about having fun out there.
“The entrance keeps me warm,” he said. “Some people get too serious and are too worried about losing, but to me, it’s fun. This is a fun job to have. I’m not worried about winning or losing; I’m worried about not having fun. In all sports, when you’re really having fun, you’re winning.
“I train serious, but come fight time, it’s just about having fun.”
Over the next six months, Lawal compiled three more victories in Japan. Racking up victories over Fabio Silva, Yukiya Naito and Ryo Kawamura, Lawal made his stateside debut in June at “M-1 Global: Breakthrough.”
Combating UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championships veteran Mark Kerr, Lawal scored an early takedown and pounded the veteran into oblivion. It only took 25 seconds before Lawal was declared the victor, with the finishing onslaught of strikes sending Kerr’s mouthpiece careening across the ring.
Boasting an undefeated record of 5-0, Lawal’s next career move would be his biggest to date, as he inked a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce, arguably the world’s No. 2 MMA promotion.
While Lawal said there were on-and-off talks with the UFC, the flexibility of Strikeforce’s fighting schedule was what swayed him.
“If I go to the UFC,” Lawal said, “then I’d be fighting maybe three times a year … I want to stay busy, because I’m only a year into this sport. By fighting in Strikeforce, I can still fight in Japan and stay active. I need to fight more than three times a year.”
Competing amongst a roster that boasts some of the world’s best fighters, including top-ranked heavyweight (206 pounds and up) Fedor Emelianenko, surging light heavyweight (205 pounds) Gegard Mousasi and welterweight (170 pounds) stalwart Jake Shields, Lawal’s Strikeforce debut comes against UFC veteran Mike Whitehead.
Only losing two fights over the past four years, Whitehead boasts a wrestling background, proven submission game and an iron-willed toughness that has left the fighter unfinished in action since 2002, with any losses since coming by way of decision or doctor stoppage.
“[Whitehead] is really solid,” Lawal said. “It’s going to be a good fight. I think I’m a better wrestler, I’m quicker and have more intangibles. Whitehead’s real solid and if he imposes his gameplan on me, maybe he could get the victory.”
In preparing for the fight, Lawal has sought out nothing short of top-flight training and has garnered tutelage from the likes of former UFC and PRIDE heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard Fabricio Werdum.
“I’m doing work everywhere,” Lawal said. “I’m willing to train with anyone who will train with me.”
While Saturday’s bout will be contested at heavyweight, Lawal plans on dropping back down to compete as a light heavyweight in future contests. Pending victory, fights against an already-established slew of opponents could be on the horizon. At the top of the mountain is Mousasi, Strikeforce’s light heavyweight champion, but with the recent acquisition of PRIDE middleweight champion Dan Henderson, the options are abundant for the prospect.
For now, Lawal said he’s taking things one step at a time, honing his craft by the day, and using his time in Strikeforce as a chance to further increase his exposure.
“I want to fight and win impressively,” he said. “This will be a great experience and that’s all I need with Strikeforce. I’ll do my thing with fighting and they’ll do their thing to put me on the cards.”
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: Sports Update «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
