The Summer Series light heavyweight tournament final will take place tomorrow night on the main card of Bellator 97 on Spike TV as Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (10-2, 1NC) faces Jacob Noe (12-2). 
The winner will earn a title shot and will likely get the title fight in early 2014 as the current champion Attila Vegh is expected to make his first title defense against Emanuel Newton this fall.
Lawal and Noe both secured their spots in the finals by getting stoppage victories at Bellator 96 with Lawal defeating Seth Petruzelli in the first round and Noe stopping Babalu Sobral in the third round. After the fighters won at Bellator 96, Lawal stated at the post fight press conference that he did not like Noe, the gym he trains at and called him fake.
“I don’t like him,” Lawal said. “I don’t like the gym he trains at. He is fake. He talks a lot of trash behind my back and I hope that he is here listening or you can tell him this. I am going to beat the brakes off him. I am going to whoop his ass so bad. I am going to retire him. I am going to make sure he goes back crying to his family again. Because last time we both lost, he was crying, talking about how he missed his family. I am going to make sure that happens again. I can not stand the dude. I can not stand anybody that is affiliated with him. I am going to punish this dude. I am serious.”
After hearing the comments that Lawal made, Noe told TheMMAReport.com that he did not know why Lawal did not like him and why he was making it personal.
“I have no idea,” Noe said. “I have never done nothing to the guy. As far as him saying I said something about him. The only thing I said is, I like that fight because I think I can pull it off. I see how he gets a lot of spotlight, of course I want that. It’s the only thing I have said. I have no idea where he is coming from. I don’t know why he is making it personal. I don’t make it personal.”
Noe went on to say that he hopes that Lawal will stand up and strike with him as he plans to win by knockout. After Lawal saw the comments that Noe made, he made it clear that he does plan to stand up and trade strikes with Noe.
Lawal is an overwhelming favorite on the betting lines as he is over an eight to one favorite as of Tuesday morning and Noe is use to being the underdog. During his time in Bellator, he has been the underdog in all three of his tournament fights and has ended up winning two of those fights.
With the styles of both fighters and the fact that they have combined for 19 stoppage victories, fans should not expect this fight to go the distance. This fight may not even make it out of the first round as they have combined for 15 wins coming in the first round.
If you are a fan of two guys standing in the center of the cage and having a stand up battle, this is the fight you want to make sure to watch.