“King Mo” Lawal Explains Why He’s Also Hanging up The Gloves

Another top-tier fighter is walking away from the fight game, as following Alexander Gustafsson’s retirement this weekend, “King Mo” Lawal’s confirmed he’s done fighting professionally.

The former Strikeforce champ and RIZIN heavyweight grand prix winner recently confirmed that’s he hanging up the gloves. While discussing his decision with MMA Fighting, Lawal said this:

“It’s been on my mind for a while,” Lawal said. “I just put it in the back of my head. It was the pain from the injuries that was messing me up and my lack of range of motion from my hip and my knee. I’ve been fighting most of my career with no legs, a messed up knee or a messed up hip and after I had that hip surgery where they put titanium metal in my hip, it kind of made me think — I’m going to need a knee replacement, I’m going to need an elbow replacement, I’m going to need a hip replacement.

“I was like I’m getting old, I’m 38, I’ve got kids. I can’t even run right now. I can’t even jog really. I’m that bad. It’s to the point where if I can’t jog or sprint or be explosive, then I’ve got to stop.

“I had so many surgeries. Probably 30 or 40 surgeries. I remember the first time I had anesthesia when I had my ACL done, I went right to the movies and watched a movie after that. Now as I’ve gotten older when I get the anesthesia, I don’t know where I’m at. I look all jacked up. My last surgery, I was like this is my last surgery because my body don’t act the same.”

So, when you consider the injuries and medical issues Lawal mentioned above, and that he’s 38, today’s news shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise. The 38-year-old Lawal finishes up with a record of 21-9.

Lawal dropped three straight to end his career, but he scored some pretty big wins during his run at both light-heavyweight and heavyweight.