Former Bellator light heavyweight champion Liam McGeary looks to snap a career high two-straight losing streak on Dec. 15 and he’ll have to do it against a friend of his. The 36-year-old is scheduled to face Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal at Bellator 213 and despite the friendship, it’s all business.
“We are cool. Out of all the fighters I’ve met he’s probably been the coolest one.” McGeary told MMANews. “Again it’s business, I texted when I found out I was fighting him. That’s was the last time I spoke to him. Wished him luck in camp and we just got down to it. I’m pretty cool with Linton Vassell [who I fought] as well. But hey this the fight game.”
McGeary (12-3) amassed an impressive 10-0 record in his career which saw him capture the light heavywegiht title at Bellator 124. Since losing his strap to Phil Davis at Bellator 163 in Nov. 2016, the former New York resident has lost three of his last four fights. Looking to switch things up, McGeary is now training in California ahead of the matchup.
“I’m training at The Ultimate Training Center [in California], with Paul Herrera and Tiki Ghosn. My manager set it up, I was living in Hawaii and he say to pop on a plane to head to California. I’m enjoying it there, we’ll talk after the fight [about making this a permanent move] I left New York in March of this year to Hawaii, my family’s over there. I’m done with the cold, the next time I’m in the cold it’s because I choose to be. We had Joey Beltran pop in today. I’ve been training with Everett Cummings a lot. Some good bodies. My guest is [King Mo] is going to want to wrestle hump me for three rounds, but it ain’t going to happen.”
Lawal (21-7) is 2-2 in his last four fights and is coming off a 15-second knockout loss to Ryan Bader at Bellator 199. The 37-year-old will be looking for his first win since Mar. 2017 when he defeated Quinton Rampage Jackson at Bellator 175.
Bellator 213 takes place at Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii on Dec. 15. The main event features women’s flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane facing former UFC title challenger Valerie Letourneau.
