STEROID
01-10-2012, 01:32 AM
Is teammate-vs.-teammate fight on horizon for Strikeforce's 'King Mo' Lawal?
by Steven Marrocco on Jan 09, 2012 at 3:00 pm ET
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/43/78866910.jpg (http://bodybuilderselite.com/bbelite/redirect-to/?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fimg832.imageshack.us%2Fimg8 32%2F43%2F78866910.jpg)
With Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal's emphatic win over Lorenz Larkin this past Saturday, Strikeforce's field of viable contenders further dwindled.
A light-heavyweight title is up for grabs, and all signs point to a rematch between former champs Lawal and Gegard Mousasi in the second quarter of this year.
Lawal, who knocked out Larkin at "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine," isn't exactly excited about the fight, but he doesn't have much choice.
Until the promotion revs up talent acquisition, there are bound to be rematches and unworthy challengers, and sooner rather than later, teammate vs. teammate.
If Lawal makes it past Mousasi, Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante lingers in the distance, and American Kickboxing Academy regular Mike Kyle is not far behind. Depending on the availability of other light heavyweights, Kyle could be a contender sooner rather than later, setting up an uncomfortable scenario.
Lawal took residence with AKA this past summer and has come to think of the team in the same way longtime regulars do: The bond within those walls is more important than the whims of fight promotion.
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has done business with AKA since he began promoting kickboxing shows in the 1990s, and he may get more of a pass than other promoters. His company is now owned by UFC parent Zuffa, whose sway looms large. But there's also another piece of leverage; because so many AKA fighters sit atop their respective divisions, there won't be much other choice than to put on the fights that make sense.
"If it's a title fight, I think [Lawal will] fight anybody," Coker told MMAjunkie.com. "I think that's what will happen. Otherwise, Mike or one of them will have to go to heavyweight or middleweight, and middleweight is (AKA fighter) Luke Rockhold.
"I think when it comes to the title fight, all bets are off."
Coker disagrees with the notion that his ranks are thin and his promotion undesirable when compared with its bigger sibling. He said Strikeforce is now on its own two feet, thanks to a new broadcast deal that guarantees six to eight events this year. Zuffa is promising to help build the brand.
Now, they just need more talent to put on display.
"I know (Strikeforce matchmaker) Sean (Shelby) is talking to a few other guys that we're going to bring into the fold," Coker said. "So think about Strikeforce, when we took over the Showtime agreement in 2009, that was Strikeforce 2.0. This is going to be Strikeforce 3.0, and this is like the relaunch because now the commitment is there from Showtime, and the commitment is there from Zuffa."
Before he got knocked into orbit by Rockhold this past Saturday, Keith Jardine was the most notable fighter to go from UFC castoff to Strikeforce signee, but he won't be the last. The need for talent is too great.
So while Strikeforce can't plan too far ahead right now, that's going to change by mid-year.
by Steven Marrocco on Jan 09, 2012 at 3:00 pm ET
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/43/78866910.jpg (http://bodybuilderselite.com/bbelite/redirect-to/?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fimg832.imageshack.us%2Fimg8 32%2F43%2F78866910.jpg)
With Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal's emphatic win over Lorenz Larkin this past Saturday, Strikeforce's field of viable contenders further dwindled.
A light-heavyweight title is up for grabs, and all signs point to a rematch between former champs Lawal and Gegard Mousasi in the second quarter of this year.
Lawal, who knocked out Larkin at "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine," isn't exactly excited about the fight, but he doesn't have much choice.
Until the promotion revs up talent acquisition, there are bound to be rematches and unworthy challengers, and sooner rather than later, teammate vs. teammate.
If Lawal makes it past Mousasi, Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante lingers in the distance, and American Kickboxing Academy regular Mike Kyle is not far behind. Depending on the availability of other light heavyweights, Kyle could be a contender sooner rather than later, setting up an uncomfortable scenario.
Lawal took residence with AKA this past summer and has come to think of the team in the same way longtime regulars do: The bond within those walls is more important than the whims of fight promotion.
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has done business with AKA since he began promoting kickboxing shows in the 1990s, and he may get more of a pass than other promoters. His company is now owned by UFC parent Zuffa, whose sway looms large. But there's also another piece of leverage; because so many AKA fighters sit atop their respective divisions, there won't be much other choice than to put on the fights that make sense.
"If it's a title fight, I think [Lawal will] fight anybody," Coker told MMAjunkie.com. "I think that's what will happen. Otherwise, Mike or one of them will have to go to heavyweight or middleweight, and middleweight is (AKA fighter) Luke Rockhold.
"I think when it comes to the title fight, all bets are off."
Coker disagrees with the notion that his ranks are thin and his promotion undesirable when compared with its bigger sibling. He said Strikeforce is now on its own two feet, thanks to a new broadcast deal that guarantees six to eight events this year. Zuffa is promising to help build the brand.
Now, they just need more talent to put on display.
"I know (Strikeforce matchmaker) Sean (Shelby) is talking to a few other guys that we're going to bring into the fold," Coker said. "So think about Strikeforce, when we took over the Showtime agreement in 2009, that was Strikeforce 2.0. This is going to be Strikeforce 3.0, and this is like the relaunch because now the commitment is there from Showtime, and the commitment is there from Zuffa."
Before he got knocked into orbit by Rockhold this past Saturday, Keith Jardine was the most notable fighter to go from UFC castoff to Strikeforce signee, but he won't be the last. The need for talent is too great.
So while Strikeforce can't plan too far ahead right now, that's going to change by mid-year.