The Bellator Summer Series light heavyweight tournament final will take place in less than two weeks when Jacob Noe takes on Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal on the main card of Bellator 97 on July 31st and the winner will secure a title shot.
Both fighters secured their spot in the final last month at Bellator 96 as Noe defeated Renato “Babalu” Sobral by TKO and Lawal defeated Seth Petruzelli by knockout.
After the fights were over at Bellator 96, Noe was not present at the post fight press conference but Lawal was. “King Mo” told the attending media that he does not like Noe, the gym he trains at [Team Syndicate], called Noe fake and that he can not stand him.
“I don’t like him,” Lawal said at the Bellator 96 Post Fight Press Conference. “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.”
Noe (12-2) spoke to TheMMAReport.com about what Lawal had to say about him after Bellator 96 and the only thing he has said about his opponent is that he believes he can defeat him.
“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.”
“As far as me crying or whatever, I knew I should not have lost the fight. I was just disappointed with myself, disappointed with the training and did not feel it was the proper training for the fight. I should have not lost that fight. That is the only reason. I am not scared to hide my emotions. I am a grown ass man and I am not ashamed of anything and something that tries to act tough really isn’t. Its ok. I am not going to take anything personal. It’s not going to get in my head.”
“I am coming out there to fight. It just kind of foolish to me if you think about it. Why try to light a fire and disrespect somebody when you have a whole training camp to go. That is just going to make him work so much harder. I just hope he is correct about everything because with him running his mouth, I hate for him to look like a jackass because he did not prove himself right. He will see how it goes. I am not going to say much. I am going to keep it classy. I have no disrespect towards the guy. Even if I knock him out, I will still lay my hand out there to help him up.”
“Just as far as his attitude and the way he is acting, I think it’s ridiculous. Of course, I miss my family. I love my family. What am I suppose to say. I think it’s really classless for me to say the things that he said. Of course it makes me want to fight. Makes me want to fight harder. I try not to touch it to much because I don’t want to get all upset and emotional. I am just going to wait till the time comes and I’ll probably look at that interview and I plan on making him pay for the words he said.”
Lawal (10-2, 1NC) has a wrestling background as he was an All-American at Oklahoma State University in his senior year of college. He currently trains in Las Vegas with Jeff Mayweather and his last three victories have come by first round knockout. Noe plans to be ready for anything that Lawal brings to the table and he is coming to make him pay for his words.
“We will be ready for whatever he does. We will have an answer for whatever he does. It is not one of those fights where you think there is nothing to do, we just can’t deal with this guy. It’s not that at all. He is not that serious of a threat. He might fell like he is. I have fought wrestlers before. I fought boxers before and I use to be a boxer. I am prepared, I feel confident and I feel that I can win this fight. I am going to do my best. When the 31st comes, we will see what happens because I am bringing it. I am coming to make you pay for your words.”
Noe does feel that Lawal will attempt to take the fight to the ground. However, he is daring Lawal to stand with me and stated that he will knock his head off.
“I think he is going to take me to the ground. I dare him to stand up with me. I will knock his head off. Especially after what he said. It seems that his chin is somewhat suspect and knock on wood, I have never been knocked out and I have been hit and I have been hit good. I know that I have a tough chin. That is something that I wonder about and get excited about. I have a whole lot of power. I know how to punch right. I know how to keep my hand up and I don’t have to take any unnecessary blows. I just hope that he is working and I hope that he is taking me serious. If he is not, it may not end up good for him.”