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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Bellator has locked up Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal for an extended period of time, announcing on Thursday that the light heavyweight has signed an extension which will keep him in the organization "for years to come."
"This was one of the easiest decisions I could have made," Mo said in a press release announcing the extension. "After everything that went down over the last six or seven months, I didn't think this was something that would ever happen, but when [Scott] Coker came on board with Bellator, everything changed. This is where I want to be. I don't care who I fight, when it is, or where it is. I get paid to fight, and that's what I'm going to do for Bellator. That's it."
Lawal's first fight under this newly extended deal comes next Friday night on Spike TV, where he'll take on Dustin Jacoby at Bellator 123.
Penick's Analysis: As Lawal got major exposure for the first time through Coker with Strikeforce, this is a completely expected development. The UFC likely wouldn't have been interested in bringing him in, so there weren't a ton of U.S. options for him to continue on. With a regime change in Bellator, and a chance for him to potentially continue pursuing pro wrestling under TNA (if they remain a Viacom-broadcasted entity after this year), this is the right move for him.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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