Muhammed Lawal Biography: Career, Age, Net Worth, Retirement, Wife, Wikipedia, Height

Muhammed Lawal, known as “King Mo,” is an American professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist renowned for his explosive fighting style and wrestling pedigree.

He is a former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and Rizin Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion, with notable victories over Gegard Mousasi and Jiří Procházka.

A decorated amateur wrestler, Lawal was a three-time U.S. Senior National Champion and NCAA All-American. He transitioned to MMA in 2008 after narrowly missing the 2008 Olympics, competing in promotions like Strikeforce, Bellator, and Rizin.

Profile

• Full Name: Muhammed Lawal
• Stage Name: King Mo
• Born: January 11, 1981
• Age: 44 years old
• Birthplace: Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Professional Wrestler, Retired Mixed Martial Artist, Coach
• Height: 1.83 m
• Parents: Nike Rousseau
• Siblings: Abdullah Lawal, Aminat Lawal
• Spouse: None
• Children: None
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: $500,000

Early Life and Education

Muhammed Lawal was born on January 11, 1981, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to Nike Rousseau, a Muslim single mother of Nigerian descent, and a father who committed suicide when Lawal was 20.

Raised with his younger siblings, Abdullah and Aminat, in Plano, Texas, he faced a challenging upbringing. Lawal attended Plano East Senior High School, where he excelled in wrestling, winning a state title in Greco-Roman as a junior and going undefeated to become a state champion as a senior.

He also earned All-District honors in football as a linebacker and wide receiver. Lawal wrestled at the University of Central Oklahoma, winning an NCAA Division II National Championship in 2002, before transferring to Oklahoma State University, where he became a Big 12 Champion and Division I All-American in 2003.

His ethnicity is African-American (Nigerian descent), and his religion is Islam.

Career

Muhammed Lawal began his career as an amateur wrestler, dominating the 84 kg division as the top-ranked U.S. wrestler for over three years. He won Senior U.S. National Championships in freestyle wrestling in 2005, 2006, and 2008, and competed at the 2005 World Wrestling Championships, finishing seventh after a controversial loss to Sazhid Sazhidov.

After narrowly missing the 2008 Olympics, Lawal debuted in MMA at Sengoku 5 in 2008, knocking out veteran Travis Wiuff in the first round. He continued his success in Japan’s World Victory Road, defeating Fábio Silva and Yukiya Naito, and won a unanimous decision over Ryo Kawamura at Sengoku 7 despite a knee injury.

In 2009, Lawal joined Strikeforce, capturing the Light Heavyweight Championship in 2010 by defeating Gegard Mousasi via unanimous decision. He lost the title to Rafael Cavalcante later that year.

In 2012, after a positive steroid test and his release from Strikeforce, Lawal signed dual contracts with Bellator MMA and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), pursuing MMA and professional wrestling simultaneously. His Bellator debut in 2013 saw him win the Season 8 Light Heavyweight Tournament, defeating Przemyslaw Mysiala and Jacob Noe, though he lost to Emanuel Newton in the semifinals.

In 2015, he won the Rizin Heavyweight Grand Prix, defeating Jiří Procházka via knockout. Lawal’s final MMA fight was a knockout loss to Andrew Kapel at Bellator 233 in November 2019, after which he retired with a 21-10 record.

In professional wrestling, Lawal debuted with TNA in 2012 as a guest enforcer and trained at Ohio Valley Wrestling. He later joined Major League Wrestling (MLW) in 2019, winning his debut match, and made sporadic appearances in Impact Wrestling and other promotions like House of Hardcore.

In 2024, he was scheduled for a bare-knuckle boxing debut at BKFC 66 but withdrew due to injury. Lawal now coaches at American Top Team, mentoring fighters, and remains active in wrestling with MLW, leveraging his flamboyant “King Mo” persona.

His elaborate MMA entrances and charismatic promos have kept him a fan favorite, as seen in posts on X.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @kingmofh
• Facebook Handle: Muhammed King Mo Lawal
• Twitter Handle: @KingMoFH

Personal Life

Muhammed Lawal is single, with no publicly known spouse or children. He resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he coaches at American Top Team and trains with fighters like Roy Nelson.

Lawal faced significant health challenges, including a severe staph infection after knee surgery in 2012, which damaged his hip and legs, requiring extensive recovery.

Net Worth

Muhammed Lawal has an estimated net worth of around $500,000 USD. His wealth primarily comes from MMA fight purses, with reported career earnings of approximately $415,000, including $30,000 from his Bellator 154 loss to Phil Davis.

Additional income stems from professional wrestling appearances with TNA and MLW, coaching at American Top Team, and endorsements with brands like Everlast.