Muhammed Lawal won’t be committing to a move to middleweight after all as he goes for the inaugural Rizin FF light heavyweight title next month.
“King Mo” (21-8), who’s spent his career fighting at 205 pounds and heavyweight, has long discussed dropping to the weight class where he would likely be best physically suited. It seemed back-to-back knockout losses to Ryan Bader and Liam McGeary, respectively, convinced him that facing bigger men was not the best avenue for success, but his rematch with Jiri Prochazka (23-3-1) at Rizin FF 15 proves otherwise.
“(I can make) 185, straight up – I’m 204 right now,” Lawal recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “185 is just like right there. So 205, 185, heavyweight – whatever. Money weight.”
Rizin FF 15 takes place April 21 at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan. Lawal is still a Bellator fighter, but the promotion has agreed to loan him out for a Rizin FF title fight, much like what happened when bantamweight champ Darrion Caldwell fought Kyoji Horiguchi in December.
Although the chance to fight for Rizin FF’s inaugural 205-pound belt would seem like a significant opportunity for Lawal, he said the belt doesn’t hold particular importance.
“I’m going to be real with you: Titles, they’re cool I guess, but I just want to get that win,” Lawal said. “I couldn’t care less about the title. Straight up.”
Lawal is getting an opportunity at Rizin FF 15, but he can’t help but feel there’s some motive in the promotion booking the fight. Lawal scored a first-round knockout over Prochazka at a Rizin FF event in December 2015, and the Czech fighter has gone 7-0 since.
“Me and Jiri fought before, and I beat him, so I guess they’re trying to get some payback on me,” Lawal said. “They’re going to see what’s up.”
For more on Rizin FF 15, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
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