MMA star to TNA, Ex-WWE employees seek TNA

[Crayo]

- Sherdog.com reports that MMA fighter Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal will be signing with both TNA and Bellator Fighting Championships in the near future. The former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion will likely be performing for both TNA and Bellator MMA. Lawal is currently recovering from knee surgery and a serious battle with staph infection.

Lawal had previously expressed interest in a career with WWE.
- Hulk Hogan recently told The New York Post that former WWE stars Chris Masters and John Morrison have been trying to get work with TNA.

PWMania

 

[Snowman1]

Interesting stuff, Crayo.

Please put Masters and Nese in a tag team! Call them something like Me and Mini-Me and feud them with Big Rob and Bigger Rob.

 

[Testify]

Dunno who Lawal is, but I hope he's got some talent for wrestling business, at least half of what Brandon Jacobs has.

Masters and Morrison... Meh. Maybe Masterlock. The roster is already full.

 

[Crayo]

I'm surprised about John, he said he can return to WWE at any time and left on good terms and for health reasons. I'm not sure Vince would want him back if he went to TNA.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

Lawal was a collegiate wrestler at Oklahoma State, which has become a big time producer of MMA stars recently. I like him a lot, he was cut by Strikeforce because he called some chick working for the NSAC racist because she asked him if he could read and write English at one of his drug tests.

This is actually cool news. I watch Bellator, so it will be good to see him fighting somewhere again, and he can get a start on his pro wrestling career which he's always been interested in. Just hope TNA doesn't fuck up his training and MMA career.

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http://sports.yahoo.com/news/king-mo-signs-bellator-tna-135924257--mma.html

Lawal’s availability stems from a positive drug test following his fight with Lorenz Larkin at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine in January in Las Vegas. He was suspended for nine months after he tested positive for Drostanolone (an anabolic steroid) metabolites, but was only released from his Strikeforce contract following a Twitter outburst over his treatment by Nevada Athletic Commissioner Pat Lundvall.

Then the wheels began rolling in on the potential deals with Bellator and TNA.

Lawal will be unable to fight for Bellator until his suspension in Nevada is over in September, but that shouldn’t affect his availability to perform on TNA’s Total Impact as soon as he is prepared to do so, which would likely require a stint training for the action of the professional wrestling ring.

His signing with both promotions does open the gate to several cross-promotional possibilities. While Bellator is currently on MTV2, in 2013 the promotion will move over to sister network Spike TV, the same network that airs TNA.


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So I guess it's possible that he is just going to be involved with TNA dicking around until his suspension is up.

 

[Crayo]

Wow I didn't expect it to be a sort of "hang out here until I can fight again" deal. Either way it could be great television.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

It will be interesting to see what happens. Honestly the LHW division is pretty thin in Bellator, Mo should be champ in no time. Bellator has talent, but it's mostly in the lower weight classes.

Mo could probably dick around in TNA and still hold the Bellator 205 title for a few years if he wanted

 

[Crayo]

Lol. I wonder how they'll use him then. WHC contender?

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

Maybe they think they can bring in Rampage eventually? The two have had public beef and have wanted to fight, and Rampage is done with UFC after his next fight. That would be pretty awesome.

Also just noticed the Masters/Morrison portion of this thread. Masters makes sense because he has been in RKK, and I always sort of assumed he would show up at Impact sooner or later. Morrison I've said from the start that he belongs in the X Division. If what Hogan said is true (which it probably isn't knowing the Hulkster) that he is actively looking for work in TNA and they didn't bring him in ASAP they are fucking dumb. 1.) Aries/Morrison would put the X Division back on the map 2.) Morrison is a big enough name that it would finally make sense for Aries to drop the belt and then move on to the ME after a badass 3 month feud.

 

[Crayo]

Agreed, he's flourish there but I still don't believe it. Morrison left on real good terms and for health reasons right? Unless something happened that wasn't reported. I'd love to see him in TNA because I hate seeing him in WWE for too many reasons. Him vs Aries would create MOTY contender matches.

 

[Snowman1]

Please don't go back to WWE, JoMo. TNA is perfect for you.

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

Agreed, he's flourish there but I still don't believe it. Morrison left on real good terms and for health reasons right? Unless something happened that wasn't reported. I'd love to see him in TNA because I hate seeing him in WWE for too many reasons. Him vs Aries would create MOTY contender matches.

Hopefully his loud mouthed hoe opening up her mouth about HHH has left he and WWE on bad terms :haha:

__________

Maybe they think they can bring in Rampage eventually? The two have had public beef and have wanted to fight, and Rampage is done with UFC after his next fight. That would be pretty awesome.

Someone just posted this vid on Sherdog:
[video=youtube]http://youtu.be/JupXSWPDrf4[/video]

Jackson used to be one of the baddest dudes in MMA, but lately he has lacked focus and motivation + been injured.. I think a fight with King Mo could be what he needs to get refocused because the two have legit beef

 

[Testify]

Official announcement from TNA reads:

Former Light Heavyweight Champ to Fight for Bellator in 2013 And Join the Stars of TNA Wrestling This Summer

In an unprecedented move – one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts, “King Mo” Lawal, has signed a deal to compete in Spike TV’s two major sports properties, Bellator Fighting Championships and TNA’s IMPACT Wrestling. King Mo will join the stars of TNA this summer and resume his mixed martial arts career next year when Bellator Fighting Championships moves to Spike TV from its current television home, MTV2. The deal was jointly announced today by Kevin Kay, President, Spike TV along with Bjorn Rebney, Chairman & CEO, Bellator Fighting Championships and Dixie Carter, President, TNA Entertainment.

“King Mo is an incredible athlete and a great addition to the Bellator family. He immediately adds prominence and star-power to our light heavyweight division,” said Rebney.

“King Mo is the perfect athlete for this type of alliance. He is the real deal in MMA, and his bold personality and world class wrestling accomplishments are unparalleled. I’m confident he will have a major impact in both sports,” stated Carter.

Lawal (10-1-1) launched his mixed martial arts career in 2008, and after four straight wins, he faced off against his toughest challenge, renowned fighter Mark Kerr. King Mo knocked out Kerr in the first round, and eight months later he defeated Gegard Mousasi in a Light Heavyweight world title fight. Lawal also holds an impressive KO victory against multiple-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Roger Gracie in September 2011.

“This deal is a dream come true for me,” Lawal said. “Bjorn and Dixie have given me the opportunity to engage in my two great loves, mixed martial arts and professional wrestling, at the same time. And, to have it all on Spike TV is really Buttercream icing on a big ole cake – not that whipped cream stuff either!”

King Mo rose to grappling acclaim as a NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University in 2003 and a three-time U.S. National Champion (2005, 2006, and 2008) in the 84 kilogram division. In 2007, as a member of the U.S. National team, he brought home a gold medal at the Pan American Games and a silver medal at the World Cup.

A native of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Lawal lives in San Jose, Calif. and trains with the prominent American Kickboxing Academy.

 

[Bort]

Fuck Dicksie and her announcements already. And I'm not impressed. lolMMA

 

[Testify]

lolarmbars

Beer bottles FTW. #DemBoys