In the Strikeforce: Houston main event, current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (7-0, 2-0 SF) will aim to continue his undefeated streak along with successfully defending his title for the first time against Black House-trained Muay Thai striker Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (9-2, 2-1 SF). Lawal won the light heavyweight crown back in April against the heavily-hyped Armenian-Dutch phenom Gegard Mousasi in a blanketing five-round affair. He had previously ran through any and all comers that World Victory Road was able to conjure up during his run with the promotion including veteran Travis Wiuff. Heavyweights Mark Kerr and Mike Whitehead succumbed to Lawal’s immense power in quick affairs before Lawal gained the opportunity to win the Strikeforce title.
Cavalcante has had somewhat of a tougher road to get where he is today. He had amassed a 7-1 record over the course of his first eight fights of his career, defeating a bevy of prospects and veterans that included Travis Galbraith, Devin Cole, and Miodrag Petkovic. Entering Strikeforce as a heavy favorite against the infamous Mike Kyle, nobody truly expected what was about to derail Cavalcante’s chances at a quick title run. Kyle was able to strike effectively against Feijao, ending his night in the second round by strikes. Luckily, the division doesn’t run as deep as the UFC’s light heavyweight division, and victories over Aaron Rosa and Antwain Britt solidified his standing as the #1 contender.
Let’s not beat around the bush too much here. It’s obvious what both men bring to the table in this fight. Lawal is by far one of the best wrestlers this sport has ever seen. His credentials speak for themselves, and he could probably give almost any wrestler in his weight class a lesson or two in how to positionally dominate any opponent from the top. To top it all off, he has some immense power in his hands, both on the ground and standing. While he isn’t a technical prodigy in the stand-up game, power can be a very effective means to stacking the odds in your favor.
Lawal isn’t alone in that regard however. Cavalcante has knocked out eight opponents in his nine victories, producing power in the clinch and in a ranged capacity. Feijao’s knees in the clinch can be absolutely devastating to his opponents, and we should probably factor in the training he receives at Black House as the cause to the effect. Battling it out day in and day out with such seasoned veterans like Anderson Silva and the Nogueira brothers has certainly improved Cavalcante’s skillset profoundly.
Lawal’s victory over Mousasi has served as the blueprint for how Lawal intends to dominate the light heavyweight ranks, and for many fans — this showdown fits that blueprint. Mousasi’s success has certainly come from his striking ability, yet Lawal was able to threaten constantly with takedown attempts that were almost always successful. Mousasi had next to no defense, and one very important question was created from the outcome. Is Mousasi’s takedown defense that bad, or is Lawal’s wrestling that good?
It was obvious that Mousasi was technically deficient in his sprawling techniques, but Lawal’s explosiveness in the shot along with his size and strength were way too formidable. Cavalcante will likely have the same problems, and to be perfectly honest — any opponent stepping into the cage with Lawal is at a disadvantage unless they can launch precision salvos into his chin before being thrown to the canvas. The jab is definitely a key to maintaining distance, but Lawal’s style is a hindrance to leg strikes and anything overly aggressive.
Can Cavalcante maintain range and barrage Lawal with straight punches while maintaining his feet for five rounds? Does he have the power to knock Lawal out? I would think his proven track record would indicate that, but Lawal’s wrestling should be the kryptonite to Cavalcante’s striking. Furthermore, the simple knowledge that Lawal has the ability to explosively slam Cavalcante to the mat in a split second will more than likely put Cavalcante in a cautious mood while standing, and that can’t be good.
King Mo wins this fight, hands down. He’ll go with his instinctive ability to wrestle Cavalcante to the floor at will, avoiding any potentially damaging blows from Cavalcante on the feet. From there, we’ll probably see some of that power finish off Cavalcante as he fades from the brutal beating he’s going to take.