"I'm hoping it's a decision where Chael just embarrasses him for all of the rounds. Take him down, beat on him, out-strike him! I don't want to see a knockout because Tito will say he got caught. Nah, give his ass a solid decision with 10-8 rounds. 30-24 would be a great score to see for me," stated Bellator light heavyweight contender King Mo Lawal, who shared his thoughts on the upcoming clash between Tito Ortiz and Chael Sonnen. Check it out!
PC: Obviously the trip to Japan didn't end the way you would have liked for it to. You were having success against Cro Cop and then you got caught in the second round. What are your thoughts on the way the fight played out?
KM: Man, I was doing good. I was putting hands on him, but my problem was I didn't get a chance to properly prepare for him. I was stuck in between two different game plans. With Ishii, when we would clinch, the game plan was to clear the clinch. With Cro Cop, I could clinch with him, but the thing is I spent so much time on clearing the clinch for Ishii that it didn't click to me to clinch with Cro Cop and wrestle with him on the inside. He was crafty. He was big and when I would shoot, he would back up and bounce off the ropes and throw his hips into me because I was smaller than him, you know what I'm saying, and that would move me back. I got clipped with an uppercut that I didn't see. I think I ducked into it and then he threw a few more shots. When I went to the ground, I was dazed, but I wasn't out. I knew where I was at and then the referee jumped on me and I was like, "Man, damn," because I knew it was over.
PC: I've seen you fight big guys before. I think that was the first time that I could sense his weight and size really affected you.
KM: Part of it was because of the ring. If we were in a cage, he couldn't bounce off of the cage and use his weight to kind of launch into me. He could just put his back against the cage and I could shuck him back. But with the ropes, he could bounce off of the ropes and use his weight on me. He was thick. I was having success on him. In the first round, I was working when I was on top of him and they stood me up for whatever reason. But I was putting in work and I landed a few shots. He was dead after the first round. I had him tired.
PC: All fighters want that moment where they share the ring with a legend. Now that you've had that opportunity, what was that like for you?
KM: I'll be honest with you, it wasn't like nothing (laughing). I don't pay attention to that shit; a fight's a fight. It can be a legend or a bum, the thing is that person is trying to fuck you up. It'll probably mean more to me later, but while I'm still fighting, I'm not in awe of nobody really. I respect them. Like if I was to fight Fedor, I would be like, "Damn, I'm fighting Fedor," but I wouldn't be like, "Oh my God, I'm fighting Fedor." I fought Cro Cop, that's cool, but it'll probably be a bigger deal when I'm done fighting.
PC: He threw a few kicks. He hit you with a body kick. A lot is made of his kicks. Did they bother you any?
KM: Hell no. Them kicks didn't bug me at all. Someone told me that he actually hurt his foot when he threw his kicks. I know he threw one kick and it landed to my body, but I elbowed his foot. I had been training that and they said his foot was messed up from it. My body conditioned, man, from years of training with guys like Tyrone Spong, who whooped my ass and shit, and Mike's Gym, the kicks I took there. I've always done strenuous body conditioning and it's carried over in my career till this day.
PC: You've had a busy month with fights and personal additions. Is it much needed rest for you or you going right back to the gym?
KM: I took a week or two off and I was right back in the gym. I had to get my sleeping patterns back right. I don't sleep that much anyway; probably about 4 hours. I was able to go to PBC and watch "The Dog" Anthony Dirrell and Lara do their thing. And now it's time to get back to work.
PC: Before I let you go, Tito Ortiz and Chael Sonnen is this weekend. I'm sure you're hoping for Chael to end Tito's career with a loss.
KM: I'm hoping it's a decision where Chael just embarrasses him for all of the rounds. Take him down, beat on him, out-strike him! I don't want to see a knockout because Tito will say he got caught. Nah, give his ass a solid decision with 10-8 rounds. 30-24 would be a great score to see for me.
PC: No love lost for Tito Ortiz huh?
KM: Nah man, to me, he's a fake. He's a bitch. When you start talking about me for no reason, that's why I consider him a bitch. I never said not one bad thing about him until he started talking shit about me.
PC: I wish you the best of luck this year and I look forward to seeing you back in there. Anything else you want to add?
KM: Man, shit, 2017 I'm trying to have all wins, no losses as always. That's all I'm trying to shoot for.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]