Strikeforce Nashville Preview: Are Fans Underestimating "King Mo" Lawal Against Gegard Mousasi?
by Leland Roling on Apr 16, 2010 10:35 AM EDT
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The second championship bout taking place on Saturday's Strikeforce Nashville main card will feature a light heavyweight championship title fight between current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi (28-2-1) and challenger Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal (6-0). The battle will pit the well-rounded skills of Mousasi versus the highly-regarded wrestling credentials that Lawal possesses in a truly intriguing battle that should challenge both fighters.
Mousasi enters this contest after crushing Gary Goodridge at K-1 Dynamite 2009 in 1:34, punishing Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in a little over eight minutes in a surprisingly tougher fight at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers, and dispatching of UFC veteran Renato Sobral at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg for the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight crown.
Lawal has less experience than Mousasi, but did knock out Mike Whitehead at Strikeforce: Evolution and dispatch of Mark Kerr in 0:25 seconds at M-1 Breakthrough in 2009. Despite the lack of an extensive resume of significant wins, Lawal has managed to create a lot of hype around him as an outspoken and rough-around-the-edges figure.
That lack of important wins could change on Saturday night for Lawal. This will easily be his toughest test in the cage in his career, and it could certainly create a massive star under the Strikeforce banner who has the personality to be a real crowd pleaser for the future. Unfortunately, it won't be a walk in the park as Mousasi possesses all the skills to end the hype.
Lawal's wrestling ability will be his means to an end in this fight. A Big 12 wrestling champion and 2003 NCAA Division I All-American at Oklahoma State sounds like some great credentials to back claims that he's one of the better wrestlers in MMA, but his wins in international competition following his collegiate career are notable enough for some people to believe he might be the very best in the sport. In 2007 and 2008, he was ranked #1 in the world as 94kg (~207 lbs), and many considered him to be the absolute best wrestler, pound-for-pound, in the world at the time.
Some of you might think that since fights begin in stand-up mode that Mousasi's accuracy and striking ability will ultimately down Lawal, but Lawal's shot for the takedown and power is overwhelming. It'll be a tough task for Mousasi to pull off, but his vast experience and training in several different mixed martial arts should be his key to victory.
I'm a little surprised at the overall reaction from fans in the lead-up to this fight. It sounds like Mousasi is the heavy favorite, but Lawal's strength and wrestling present a challenging task for Mousasi. Obviously, his striking is going to be the key to victory, and he could actually work a submission game from top control if he can put Lawal on his back. The problem, however, is that fans seem to be underestimating the wrestling ability of Lawal.
I'm not sure where I stand on this match-up. Lawal could potentially smother Mousasi on the floor, and he's been training with the Nogueira's to sure up his submission defense. Striking-wise, he's at a huge disadvantage, but can Mousasi maintain his feet for the entire fight? I doubt it. Barring a huge upkick knockout, I might actually take Lawal in this fight simply for the rooting interest. The safe bet is with Gegard Mousasi however.
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I've got Mo for the upset
Walking the line between intelligence and ignorance since 1985
@deowade
by Damon O. on Apr 16, 2010 10:11 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I want to pick him too
I can see him catching Gegard on the ground with a powerful shot and knocking him out.
I also have Mo for the upset. I am a little bit hesitant, ut I have finally decided to come down on that site.
I think key is the Sokoudjou-fight, which, as stated above, was surprisingly competitive. Soko actually gets dominant position several times during the fight. He reverses at one point easily a takedown. Now, Soko seems to be competent only in the transition game (and in throwin haymakers) and has not clue whatsover about what to actually while in the dominant position. Plus that he let Gegard sweep him twice and at the end look completely paralysed when Gegard was on top of him on the ground.
If Soko can get dominant position I am sure Mo can do the same. And in addition to being a much better grappler than Soko Mo is also considerably more driven competitor. I don’t think being mounted by Mo is a clever idea for anyone. And he won’t be swept as easily, for sure.
Now, I am sure both camps are very aware of this. The question is if Gegard can come up with a plan to nullify this liability. Maybe, but I am not all convinced.
And in addition to being a much better grappler than Soko
Soko is a US Open Judo champ. Calling Mo a much better grappler is a stretch. Wrestler yes, grappler no. Besides, you seem to underestimate Mousasi’s skills off his back – striking and submission game.
Bob Arum thinks I'm a white Nazi skinhead even though I'm a brown grad student (with hair)
Yeah maybe I am. I have seen Gegard’s submissions. And that kick from the bottom that knocked Jacare out cold. Certainly much better than anything Mo has in that regard (that we know of).
Mousasi’s game all around is quite obviously much better than Mo’s. I just wonder if that’s enough. I might very well be.
Soko, if nothing else has demonstrated his grappling as it pertains to fighting from his back and maintaining top position is pretty bad given how otherwise awesome his sense of balance and clinch take downs are. I would be stunned if Mousasi could sweep Lawal. He obviously didn’t have much trouble sweeping soko (nor did Machida for that matter).
by The Darkness on Apr 16, 2010 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Soku has a pedigree in grappling and he does land the odd nice toss, but...
his grappling game really hasn’t translated well to MMA.
Somebody's hyp train is going to kick it into overdrive after this fight...
If Mousasi win, all he has left is Hendo.
If Mo win’s people are gonna go nuts… and the King Mo vs Jon Jones taklk will begin.
“A battle of explosive and athletic light heavyweights!” – Goldberg
by HarmlessNinja on Apr 16, 2010 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Mousasi looked real good against Sokodjou, I think he takes this one in the 2nd
all you gotta do is...
I was actually a little surprised at how long it took for him to finish Soku. Soku even managed to sneak a few good punches in.
by Pantherhare on Apr 16, 2010 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t get why people are surprised that the Soko fight went as it did. A “Surprisingly tougher fight” Leland said, anyone who has seen Soko fight before knows he’s a good fighter for the first few minutes, once he gasses it’s over and that’s exactly what happened in his fight with Mousasi. There’s a reason Soko has beaten great competition before.
by ufc4 on Apr 16, 2010 10:59 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Soku had two solid KO's in 2007... He has had not looked decent since.
He has lost five of his last eight fights and is now 7 – 6 is his career…
Aside from all that, I just thought Mousasi looked out of sorts, uncomfortable and a little confused in the early part of that fight.
Those losses are still consistent with him being a good fighter for 3 minutes
Mousasi definitely had a feeling out period, though. I haven’t seen a ton of his fights; is he consistently a slow starter?
Like being disappointed? Sweet! Follow @teddwelch on Twitter!
Not really... He has finished 12 of his last 14 fights inside the 5 minute mark.
…and 5 of his last 6 inside 2:15…
Well, I should say the fight went as expected for me, Soku looked explosive and Mousasi did get tagged a few and I see this fight going similar with King Mo. Mousasi might look beat the first few minutes, but once Mo has hit em with some shots and he’s still standing, I think Mo will lose some of that confidence and Mousasi will take the W
all you gotta do is...
Mousasi didn’t fight a smart fight against Soko and he even mentioned it in his post fight interviews. One thing I didn’t understand was why he incessantly tried to trip Soko for a takedown, given he is a world class judoka.
Bob Arum thinks I'm a white Nazi skinhead even though I'm a brown grad student (with hair)
I love both these guys but am ultimately pulling for King Mo a little more. Lets face it the guy is a star and is way more marketable. Im sure they will be showing his entrance and a lot of people are gonna get a kick out of it.
I think he catches Mousasi and finishes him with some GnP. Ill be happy whoever wins though.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
Franklin McNeil didnt hesitate
In picking Mo to win this fight. He’s seen something. He knows something. He has closer access to MMA than I ever will and hes usually pretty accurate in his predictions.
O_o
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Apr 16, 2010 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions
McNeil is terrible. He uses “world class” as an adjective for everyone.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Apr 16, 2010 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions
everyone is world class at something. i, for instance, am a world class shirker and procrastinator
by Austin Martin on Apr 16, 2010 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions
No, you aren’t.
Have you competed in an international competition to determine who is more lazy? No.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Apr 16, 2010 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions
If you are willing to show up to a contest to show how lazy you are, you lose by default.
The true lazies wouldn’t even register, let alone show up…
by truck on Apr 16, 2010 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Then there is no way to determine it…
But… The Dude probably beats everyone, so it’s settled.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Apr 16, 2010 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions
The Dude Abides
Anyone who loves that movie as much as I do should find out when and where the closest Lebowski convention is to them. Good times, bathrobes and bowling.
I actually went to a theater in college here in town that did classic Fridays. They had a Coen brothers marathon with Big Lebowski as the grand finale. Greatest shit ever. The entire crowd was reciting lines, everyone was drinking, awesome time.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Apr 16, 2010 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
i’m world class but nowhere near the champion. i had a friend who purposely dehydrated himself so he wouldnt have to get out of bed to go to the bathroom and laid in bed for close to 2 days.
by Austin Martin on Apr 16, 2010 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions
no, he’s very real. you should’ve seen his room in college, it was disgusting. he puked one time and didnt clean it up for close to three days, and slept on the opposite side of the bed.
by Austin Martin on Apr 16, 2010 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions
haha the description is awful, but he’s a lovable dude… i think the laziness comes from him being close to the chillest person alive.
by Austin Martin on Apr 16, 2010 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
But is he the worst prognosticator?
I think he makes sense most of the time while predicting, but sometimes he can be totally blinded by the fact that he has talked to one guy, but not the other. The worst is when he makes preposterous use of fighter quotes like “He told me that he want to test the chin of his opponent.” What does that mean exactly? I have no clue. Or “He told me that he is not overlooking his opponent.” Right…
Haha, they talked to mousassi on the show!
Testing his chin means exactly that, no further interpretation should be needed. Unlike the possessed elf-man on speed (John whats his name) who hosts the show, Franklin doesn’t even entertain BS for the sake of the camera. He speaks the exact same way you would speak to a group of your friends about upcoming fights.
Dont lie, I know if I stood an listened I would hear “test his chin” 2 or 3 times minimum
by Jonnycaz2.0 on Apr 16, 2010 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions
"Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherf**ker" - Jules Winnfield
by WeaponElDeem on Apr 16, 2010 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
that is correct
"Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherf**ker" - Jules Winnfield
by WeaponElDeem on Apr 16, 2010 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions
When was the last time
McNeil picked against the black guy in a fight. Just sayin…..but I’ve got Mo in this one too
Wait... what?
It almost seems like you’re serious. You shouldn’t be.
Perhaps my best years are gone. When there was a chance of happiness. But I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now. No, I wouldn't want them back.
by jebushchrist on Apr 16, 2010 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Going with Mo on the upset...
…even though Gegard is one of my favorite fighters. Just have a bad feeling for some reason.
Glad I'm not alone...
Love Mousasi and am still picking him, but Mo has tons of power, and that’s what kind of freaks me out. I could see Mo catching him with a solid power shot on his feet or from guard from some reason.
"Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'd never know 'cause I wouldn't eat the filthy motherf**ker" - Jules Winnfield
by WeaponElDeem on Apr 16, 2010 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions
His elite wrestling is a huge worry, also. Here's hoping he stands and bangs with Gegard...
…as I think Gegard will catch him eventually that way. Mo can bring it to the ground and grind out a win if he really wants to. Or maybe land a huge power shot from top position. Either way, it’s a scary fight for Gegard.
Mo handled Whitehead much much easier than i thought he would. This is a much much better matchup than i thought when i heard it announced
Whitehead was too distracted by growing pot and engaging in gross lewdness
by Hardcharger on Apr 16, 2010 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Mousasi is gonna destroy him
Sorry King Mo fanboys, this is a bad, bad matchup for him. He should have fought someone in the 25-50 range before stepping all the way up to a title fight, he’s not gonna know what hit him Saturday night.
by ufc4 on Apr 16, 2010 11:02 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
while i agree that its a tough matchup, i think the wrestling credentials will be tougher for Mous. I looked, and the biggest wrestler he’s fought was Lombard. Soko is a tough judo guy but thats only similar… Mo’s double is unbelievably powerful
by Austin Martin on Apr 16, 2010 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Fight breakdown..
my previous fav was Performy, but Leland have been doing a great job, there is no need for Junkie anymore.
Damn, this could be a night of upsets.
Shields, Aoki and Lawal actually have decent chances in my book.. Great set of fights.
I am. I think. I will. - Ayn Rand
yeah junkie sucks now but performify knew his business
by Austin Martin on Apr 16, 2010 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions
the havok POS bothered the hell outta me, i couldnt deal with it
by Austin Martin on Apr 16, 2010 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
Love performify — mma junkie not so much.
by The Darkness on Apr 16, 2010 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Really?
In 2007 and 2008, he was ranked #1 in the world as 94kg (~207 lbs), and many considered him to be the absolute best wrestler, pound-for-pound, in the world at the time.
A few russians might disagree.
Everytime champion!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztX2y9o4Wx4
Several wrestling analysts back in those days ranked him #1 overall in the world, and had him tabbed for Olympic gold until Hrovat upset him at the Trials.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Apr 16, 2010 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions
A bit strange considering that Gatsalov won his fourth straight world championship in 2007 and also in the same year beat Lawal in the world cup.
Wikipedia writes
From 2007-2008, Lawal was the #1 ranked wrestler in the country in the -94kg division and was considered by many to be the best amateur wrestler in the United States, regardless of weight class.
Everytime champion!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztX2y9o4Wx4
I read a number of articles actually disagreeing, but it really doesn’t matter because he ended up losing to a brilliant gameplan by Hrovat.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Apr 16, 2010 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Lawal is 6-0 with wins over such luminaries as Wiuff and Whitehead. Mousasi is 31-2-1 MMA, 7-0 kickboxing with wins over Soko, Babalu, Jacare, Kang, Manhoef, Cyborg and Musashi.
Let me know when “king mo” wakes up after the fight.
by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Apr 16, 2010 12:24 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Really?
Sokoudjou is a mid-level fighter at best. Manhoef is by far way outsized by Gegard, and he has no submission game. Cyborg… for real? Musashi was on the downside of his career by a few years when they fought.
Babalu and Jacare are his best wins, and the Jacare fight wasn’t going his way until the upkick.
Lawal’s wins are nothing great at all, but his pedigree and credentials as a wrestling and the fact that Jacare was positionally all over Gegard with his power and jiu-jitsu is a hint at a gameplan that could work.
Sure, you might be right. To be honest, I expect Mousasi to slip a punch and bomb Lawal, but the upset factor is way too high in this fight.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Apr 16, 2010 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree.
Up until a week ago, I thought this was an obvious win for Gegard by virtue of being more well rounded and more of an MMA fighter than a convert. Then my gut started having that same bad feeling I got about Arlovski vs. Rogers. Could be that I’m trying a new diet or a bad feeling about the insane power that Mo can throw on his feet translating to bombs from the guard.
"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe
Mousasi has never been knocked out, in MMA or his amateur boxing career. The kid’s been punched in the face before. So I know Gegard has a chin; but does King Mo? Lawal will be lucky to land anything on the feet. On his back, Mousasi is crafty enough to survive and pull off sweeps and submissions. Anyone watch his fight with Manouef? Jesus christ. Mousasi is only favored 2:1 in this fight, should be higher.
Manhoef has no submission game at all. NONE. He has NO defense. Lawal has incredible wrestling ability and the best jiu-jitsu trainers. While that doesn’t translate to a win by any means, comparing the Manhoef fight to the possibilities in this fight is ridiculous.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Apr 16, 2010 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Great match-up. I’m glad someone finally brought up Lewal’s wrestling credentials. I believe he is a true student of fighting and for people to count him out because of the way he acts is a mistake. Win or lose, he will go far.
All that said, I’m really pulling for The Dreamcatcher (worse name ever?) in this one.
Do not bet against King Mo, thats all I have to say
Not at these odds!
MO via KO
I want to go on record B4 the event and say Mo will win, quite easily as a matter of fact.
"I'm Nobody's FanBoy" - higgledy-piggledy
by higgledy-piggledy on Apr 17, 2010 7:41 AM EDT reply actions
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