They say time heals all wounds, and that seems to be the case between new Bellator stable mates Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal.
In 2009, Rampage and Lawal infamously argued while they were riding in a van together, yelling and cursing at one another for the better part of five minutes.
From then on out, the two fighters exchanged a war of words through the media, until they finally sat down again a few years later to put the ill will behind him.
Jackson recently signed a new deal, similar to the same one that Lawal signed last year, that allows for him to compete in Bellator for mixed martial arts while also pursuing a career in professional wrestling under the TNA brand.
So now that both fighters are competing under the same company, will the old rivalry come back to life for what could be one of the biggest fights in Bellator history?
“I talked to Mo and it only makes sense that Mo’s an MMA fighter, he’s a wrestler. I’m a MMA fighter, I’m a wrestler, we both going into pro wrestling. Me and Mo are actually thinking about teaming up and being tag team partners over there in TNA. I think we could change the game up,” Rampage said about Lawal during a media conference call on Wednesday. “We didn’t see eye to eye in the past, I thought I was going to have to put a whopping up on Mo, I ain’t going to lie.
“Mo is actually a cool guy. I can only take him for small periods of time, but we tag team partners. Maybe that will bring two different types of guys together, who knows might end up being best friends one day.”
Lawal, who recently had his first pro wrestling match after training at Ohio Valley Wrestling in Kentucky, said that he was happy to hear Rampage was coming to Bellator and the plans of them teaming up in the squared circle are in the works.
“I’m with it, we’ve just got to find a tag team name. I’ve got finishers and everything lined up. I’m excited,” Lawal told Bleacher Report. “I’m thinking we’re going to be a combination of Powers of Pain, mixed with Demolition, mixed with Harlem Heat, and part Steiner Brothers.”
Lawal went on to say that in his opinion, landmark deals like the ones that he and Rampage scored that allow them to fight while pursuing other interests are good for mixed martial arts as a whole. Lawal is well aware that he can’t fight forever, and the opportunities provided for him in his recent deal will give him something to build a career on after the cage door closes for the last time.
“Here’s the thing, I’m excited because I feel if Rampage can get a deal like that, and I’ve got a good deal, I feel like more and more MMA fighters can get a deal like that to become fighters as well as entertainers on the other end,” Lawal stated.
“Some guys think ‘oh I want to be a fighter’, but once you’re done fighting what are you going to do next? What are you going to do? Open a gym? Start a clothing line? That’s all been done and some people do good and some people don’t.”
As of now, it seems that Rampage and Lawal have not only put their previous beef to bed, they’ve actually become friends who will look to pursue a future in pro wrestling together as teammates.
That won’t interfere with a potential fight, however, according to Lawal. Fighting is a business just like any other sport, and if he has to face Rampage in the Bellator cage, then that’s what will happen.
“It’s part of the business. Al Snow (trainer at Ohio Valley Wrestling) told me this, he said Mo in the combat game or in pro wrestling, it takes two to make money,” Lawal said. “I don’t dislike nobody in the fight game. I don’t have no enemies in the fight game. I’m happy for everybody. Jon Jones got a Nike deal, congratulations. Johny Hendricks and Rampage are with Reebok, hell yeah get that money. I want everybody to get that money, because eventually when you stop fighting you’ve got to find other ways. You can’t fight forever.
“I want everybody to do good. So if me and Rampage have to fight to make money, it’s part of the business. At that same time we’ve got the pro wrestling to fall back on. Anything’s possible, it’s all business. I’m open to it. I’m just happy he’s with Viacom, Spike TV, Bellator and TNA, I’m happy about all of that.”
Rampage echoed the same when speaking about a fight with Lawal. If it’s what the fans want to see, then they’ll step in the cage and trade leather like any other fight. There’s no need for it to be personal anymore.
“We may be tag team in pro wrestling, but if it works out and we can give the fans what they want, maybe we’ll fight each other and then we’ll fight each other,” Rampage said.
Right now a fight between Rampage and Lawal isn’t on the map because both are doing different things in their careers. Lawal is preparing for a showdown with Seth Petruzelli on June 19 as the kickoff to the new Bellator summer series and a light heavyweight tournament. Meanwhile, Rampage will make his TNA wrestling debut on Spike TV on Thursday night.
It’s good to know, however, that two of Bellator‘s biggest stars are both on board for being great friends outside the cage and temporary enemies inside the cage.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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