'King Mo' Returns From Retirement at Bellator 233 Against Andrew Kapel

Muhammed (@KingMoFH) retired in April after a loss in RIZIN.

But he told me today he wants his last fight to be in the Bellator cage.

Advertisement

So he’s coming back for one last fight next month.

More: https://t.co/h2phdbzbtb

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 10, 2019

Despite retiring after a loss in April, Muhammed Lawal is coming back to Bellator MMA for one final fight.

According to ESPN on Thursday, Lawal (21-9, 1 NC) will be returning to the promotion for his official retirement match. At Bellator 233, he will be facing Andrew Kapel (14-6) at a 195-pound catchweight affair. The event will take place on Nov. 8 at the Winstar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma, and it will be headlined by a middleweight scrap between John Salter and the surging Costello van Steenis.

Winner of the 2015 Rizin Fighting Federation openweight tournament, Lawal has hit a bit of a rough patch as of late. Prior to this losing streak of three in a row -- all by knockout -- "King Mo" had never lost consecutive bouts. Despite fighting for the Bellator light heavyweight title in 2013, Lawal never won Bellator gold, although he wrested the Strikeforce light heavyweight strap from Gegard Mousasi's grasp by decision at Strikeforce: Nashville in April 2010. About his return, "King Mo" simply stated, "I wanted to end in Bellator."

Kapel is riding a four-fight win streak into his promotional debut. Historically a middleweight, he will be fighting above 185 pounds for the first time since his 2012 win over James Wilkie at light heavyweight. Although he has never competed for a major promotion, Kapel did face off against future light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith at a regional event in 2014, where he lost by first-round rear-naked choke.