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Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champ Muhammed ‘King Mo’ Lawal (8-1, 1NC) is set to debut inside the Bellator cage next month when he enters the promotions Season Eight light heavyweight tournament.
Lawal will debut on Spike TV on Thursday, January 17, 2013 at the UCI Bren Events Center in Irvine, California against an unnamed opponent.
The news was announced by MMAFighting.com who learned of the date from sources close to the event.
Lawal signed with Bellator, as well as the pro-wrestling promotion TNA, earlier this year following his release from the Strikeforce promotion after posting negative comments on Twitter towards one of the commissioners on review board for the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The NSAC suspended ‘King Mo’s’ license for nine-months following a positive steroid test this past January.
Lawal tested positive for drostanolone, an anabolic steroid, following a knockout victory over Lorenz Larkin at the Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine show in Las Vegas. The win was overturned by the NSAC to a “No Contest” following the failed drug test.