Muhammed Lawal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Muhammed Lawal |
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Lawal in 2012
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| Born | January 11, 1981 Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Other names | King Mo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Division | Light heavyweight (2009–2016) Heavyweight (2008–2009; 2015–2019) |
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| Reach | 79 in (201 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fighting out of | Coconut Creek, Florida, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | American Top Team Mayweather Boxing |
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| Rank | NCAA Division I Wrestling | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2008–2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 32 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By decision | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By decision | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No contests | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| University | Oklahoma State University University of Central Oklahoma |
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| Notable school(s) | Plano East Senior High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Muhammed Lawal (born January 11, 1981), also known as "King Mo", is an American professional wrestler and a retired mixed martial artist. He is currently signed with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. As a mixed martial artist, he was a champion in both the Strikeforce and Rizin Fighting Federation organizations.
Contents
Early Life and Sports Beginnings
Muhammed Lawal grew up with his brothers and sisters, raised by their single mother. From a young age, Lawal loved professional wrestling. He started wrestling in high school at Plano East Senior High School in Plano, Texas.
High School Achievements
In high school, Lawal was very successful. As a junior, he won a state title in Greco-Roman wrestling. He also finished as a state runner-up. In his senior year, Lawal was undefeated and became a Texas state champion. He also played football, earning honors as a linebacker and wide receiver. Lawal was also good at track and field.
College and Freestyle Wrestling Career
After high school, Lawal continued his wrestling journey in college. He competed in NCAA Division II wrestling at the University of Central Oklahoma. He placed second in the nation in 2001 and became a national champion in 2002.
Moving to Division I
For his final year, Lawal moved to Division I at Oklahoma State University. In 2003, he became a Big 12 Conference Champion and an All-American. He finished third in the 197-pound division. That same year, Lawal also won the university freestyle national championship at 185 pounds.
Senior Level Wrestling
After college, Lawal kept wrestling at a higher level. He won the Senior U.S. national championship in freestyle wrestling three times: in 2005, 2006, and 2008. He also represented the U.S. at the 2005 World Wrestling Championships, where he finished seventh. For more than three years, Lawal was ranked as the number one wrestler in the United States in his weight class. After just missing out on the 2008 Olympics, Lawal decided to try mixed martial arts.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Muhammed Lawal started his mixed martial arts (MMA) career in 2008. MMA combines different fighting styles like wrestling, boxing, and jiu-jitsu.
Early Fights in Japan
Lawal made his MMA debut at Sengoku 5 in Japan. He fought Travis Wiuff, a very experienced fighter, and won by knockout in the first round. He continued to win his next fights in Japan, showing his strong striking skills.
Fighting in the U.S. and Strikeforce
In 2009, Lawal fought for the first time in the United States. He quickly won his fight by technical knockout. Later that year, he signed a contract with Strikeforce, a major MMA promotion in the U.S.
Becoming a Champion
On April 17, 2010, Lawal defeated Gegard Mousasi to win the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship. This was a big achievement in his career. However, he lost the championship later that year to Rafael Cavalcante.
Challenges and Changes
Lawal faced some challenges, including a knee injury that kept him out of action for a while. After returning, he won a fight against Roger Gracie. In another fight, his win was later changed to a "no contest" after a substance test. Following this, Lawal left Strikeforce after some disagreements.
Joining Bellator MMA
In May 2012, Lawal signed with Bellator Fighting Championships, another big MMA promotion.
Bellator Tournaments
Lawal quickly became a key fighter in Bellator's tournaments. In January 2013, he won his first fight in the Season 8 light heavyweight tournament. He later won the Bellator 2013 Summer Series Light Heavyweight tournament by defeating Jacob Noe. He also reached the finals of the Bellator Season 10 Light Heavyweight tournament, where he faced Quinton Jackson but lost a close decision.
Later Bellator Fights
Lawal continued to fight in Bellator, taking on many tough opponents. He had notable wins against Cheick Kongo and Satoshi Ishii. He also had a rematch with Quinton Jackson, winning by unanimous decision.
RIZIN Fighting Federation Tournament
In 2015, Lawal also competed in the RIZIN Fighting Federation's 8-man tournament in Japan. He won his first fight by knockout. He continued to win his semifinal match and then defeated Jiří Procházka in the finals by knockout, becoming the Rizin 2015 World Grand Prix Champion.
Lawal's last professional MMA fight was in November 2019, where he announced his retirement from the sport.
Professional Wrestling Career
Muhammed Lawal has also had a career in professional wrestling, which he loved since he was young.
Early Steps in Wrestling
After college, Lawal was offered a contract by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He spent some time training but decided to focus on mixed martial arts instead.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)
In 2012, when he signed with Bellator MMA, Lawal also signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He planned to do both sports at the same time. He appeared on TNA's TV show Impact Wrestling and served as a special guest referee at a big event called Bound for Glory. He later returned to TNA in 2014, joining a group called Team Dixie. He left TNA in 2015.
Other Wrestling Appearances
Lawal also appeared in other wrestling promotions, like House of Hardcore. In 2017, he returned to Impact Wrestling to support Bobby Lashley in a championship match. From 2019 to 2021, he was part of Major League Wrestling (MLW), winning his debut match there.
Bare-Knuckle Boxing
After his MMA career, Lawal was scheduled to make his debut in bare-knuckle boxing, a sport where fighters punch without gloves. He was set to fight David Mundell in September 2024, but he later withdrew from the fight.
Personal Life
Muhammed Lawal was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His parents are Muslim immigrants from Nigeria. He was raised by his single mother, along with his younger brother and sister.
Lawal has faced health challenges. After one of his fights, he was diagnosed with a serious infection from knee surgery. He described it as a very difficult time, but he recovered.
Championships and Accomplishments
Mixed Martial Arts
- Bellator MMA
- Bellator 2013 Summer Series Light Heavyweight Tournament Champion
- Rizin Fighting Federation
- Rizin 2015 World Grand Prix Champion
- Strikeforce
- Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion (One time)
Amateur Wrestling
- International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
- 2007 Pan American Championships Senior Freestyle Gold Medalist
- 2007 World Cup Senior Freestyle Silver Medalist
- USA Wrestling
- USA Senior Freestyle National Champion (2005, 2006, 2008)
- USA University Freestyle National Champion (2003)
- National Collegiate Athletic Association
- NCAA Division I All-American (2003)
- Big 12 Conference Champion (2003)
- NCAA Division II Collegiate Champion (2002)
- University Interscholastic League
- UIL High School Texas State Champion (1999)
Wrestling
- Real Pro Wrestling
- RPW Season One 184 lb Champion
Professional Wrestling
- Vendetta Pro Wrestling
- Vendetty Award: 2015 Vendetta Pro Match of the Year (as Special Guest Enforcer)
Images for kids
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Lawal in 2012
See also
In Spanish: Muhammed Lawal para niños
