Strikeforce 'Evolution' Preview

Muhammed Lawal vs. Mike Whitehead

The Breakdown: Easily the most talked about prospect the game has seen in years, Lawal receives his most significant exposure yet against Whitehead, a veteran top control technician. Taking down Lawal and keeping him on his back may be Whitehead’s only hope. Lawal has quickly developed the sort of bulldozing striking against which a relatively unrefined striker such as Whitehead has no hope of surviving.

Getting Lawal down will be a problem, as Whitehead’s wrestling looks far from unstoppable and Lawal has proven to be a full-fledged freak in nearly every facet of the game. In reality, Lawal will show himself as the superior wrestler, as he appears to be in perfect position to turn this fight into his graduation from prospect to contender.

The X-Factor: Loud-mouthed prospects have an up-and-down history in sports and few have matched Lawal’s perpetually flapping gums. Between calling out Fedor Emelianenko and maintaining his royal cabal of concubines, one has to wonder if Lawal expects to breeze through this fight. While he certainly has the talent to do so, it does not take more than a moment’s carelessness to run face-first into the hard truths that come with making one’s living fighting angry men.

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The Bottom Line: Lawal will not run through all his opponents as if they are not there, but Whitehead just does not have the tools to pose much of a threat. A lopsided bit of matchmaking ends as expected in the first round, with Lawal adding one more knockout win to the mantle.