Muhammed Lawal concerned MMA is getting too ‘watered down,’ preaches quality over quantity

Earlier this year, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal casually emerged from the haze of Bellator 120 to recommend (on national television) that Bellator founder Bjorn Rebney stop being such a “dick rider.” It was a bizarre and voyeuristic sight, the explosive finale of a long-coming divorce, and it repeated itself over, and over, and over, leaving poor Rebney dazed and the internet stifling its collective guffaws by the end of the night.

What a world of difference four months can make, eh? Now Rebney is out, replaced by Strikeforce founder Scott Coker, and Lawal is the latest recipient of a lucrative multi-year contract extension to continue plying his trade in the Bellator fold.

“I’ll be fighting for Bellator for a long time,” Lawal told MMAFighting.com of the deal. “I wouldn’t mind finishing my career with Bellator. My job is to fight. Bellator offered me a good deal so I took it. I like (Scott) Coker, I like (director of communications) Anthony (Mazzuca), I like Bellator, the people at Viacom, Spike TV. It makes sense for me, man. I fight and they take care of me, help me provide for my family, and that’s what I’m doing.”

It’s an outcome that appeared impossibly far-fetched as recent as the spring, but hey, “all things happen for a reason,” said Lawal, who added that he is more than pleased with the new course Coker and company are plotting for Bellator — e.g. shifting away from the tournament format and trimming the fat off an event schedule as the competition doubles down with near-weekly offerings.

“Look at the situation we’re in right now,” Lawal said. “I think what Bellator is doing right now is great, cutting back on the amount of shows so they can put out quality events. Now, what [passes] as a quality event these days, [one good fight] here and there. Like, put out quality. Quality is what matters, not quantity. I feel like [MMA] has gotten to the point where it’s just watered down. It’s kind of like when you add more water to Kool-Aid and make you it more un-concentrated. No, make it more concentrated.

“The UFC still has its pay-per-views,” Lawal continued. “There’s two a month (on top of other events) sometimes, right? That’s good, that’s great, they’re excited they’re expanding. But at the same time, boxing… now boxing has pay-per-views, but there are about two pay-per-views a year that are like the big events. Well, the way everyone markets MMA, it’s like every event is a big event. ‘Oh, it’s the biggest event of the year. Oh, it’s big as hell.’ They do it all the time. We have to find ways to market it a little different.”

Ultimately, under the direction of Coker, Lawal believes Bellator can become a sort of Strikeforce 2.0, a fan and fighter friendly promotion with the backing of a major industry player in Viacom. But every movement needs a beginning, and for Bellator and Lawal, this weekend marks that beginning.

Bellator 123 is scheduled to go down on Friday at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena, just 10 miles away from the UFC’s concurrent and conveniently stacked Fight Night card. Lawal will collide against Dustin Jacoby, a veteran of GLORY kickboxing who himself replaced a late replacement. Such circumstances may not be the most ideal, but after such a strange and rocky year, it’ll take more than a few last-second curveballs to throw Lawal off his game.

“I look at it like this, I haven’t been pain free since I started competing in amateur wrestling. I always was sore,” Lawal said. “Since I was 16, the first time I finished a wrestling practice, I’ve been sore since.

“I train for the best situation and the worst situation. I train smart, I train hard. All the work is already done.”

Earlier this year, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal casually emerged from the haze of Bellator 120 to recommend (on national television) that Bellator founder Bjorn Rebney stop being such a “dick rider.” It was a bizarre and voyeuristic sight, the explosive finale of a long-coming divorce, and it repeated itself over, and over, and over, leaving poor Rebney dazed and the internet stifling its collective guffaws by the end of the night.

What a world of difference four months can make, eh? Now Rebney is out, replaced by Strikeforce founder Scott Coker, and Lawal is the latest recipient of a lucrative multi-year contract extension to continue plying his trade in the Bellator fold.

“I’ll be fighting for Bellator for a long time,” Lawal told MMAFighting.com of the deal. “I wouldn’t mind finishing my career with Bellator. My job is to fight. Bellator offered me a good deal so I took it. I like (Scott) Coker, I like (director of communications) Anthony (Mazzuca), I like Bellator, the people at Viacom, Spike TV. It makes sense for me, man. I fight and they take care of me, help me provide for my family, and that’s what I’m doing.”

It’s an outcome that appeared impossibly far-fetched as recent as the spring, but hey, “all things happen for a reason,” said Lawal, who added that he is more than pleased with the new course Coker and company are plotting for Bellator — e.g. shifting away from the tournament format and trimming the fat off an event schedule as the competition doubles down with near-weekly offerings.

“Look at the situation we’re in right now,” Lawal said. “I think what Bellator is doing right now is great, cutting back on the amount of shows so they can put out quality events. Now, what [passes] as a quality event these days, [one good fight] here and there. Like, put out quality. Quality is what matters, not quantity. I feel like [MMA] has gotten to the point where it’s just watered down. It’s kind of like when you add more water to Kool-Aid and make you it more un-concentrated. No, make it more concentrated.

“The UFC still has its pay-per-views,” Lawal continued. “There’s two a month (on top of other events) sometimes, right? That’s good, that’s great, they’re excited they’re expanding. But at the same time, boxing… now boxing has pay-per-views, but there are about two pay-per-views a year that are like the big events. Well, the way everyone markets MMA, it’s like every event is a big event. ‘Oh, it’s the biggest event of the year. Oh, it’s big as hell.’ They do it all the time. We have to find ways to market it a little different.”

Ultimately, under the direction of Coker, Lawal believes Bellator can become a sort of Strikeforce 2.0, a fan and fighter friendly promotion with the backing of a major industry player in Viacom. But every movement needs a beginning, and for Bellator and Lawal, this weekend marks that beginning.

Bellator 123 is scheduled to go down on Friday at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena, just 10 miles away from the UFC’s concurrent and conveniently stacked Fight Night card. Lawal will collide against Dustin Jacoby, a veteran of GLORY kickboxing who himself replaced a late replacement. Such circumstances may not be the most ideal, but after such a strange and rocky year, it’ll take more than a few last-second curveballs to throw Lawal off his game.

“I look at it like this, I haven’t been pain free since I started competing in amateur wrestling. I always was sore,” Lawal said. “Since I was 16, the first time I finished a wrestling practice, I’ve been sore since.

“I train for the best situation and the worst situation. I train smart, I train hard. All the work is already done.”