Bellator MMA took their first major step in the “Scott Coker era” with tonight’s Bellator 131 card. A new stage and entrance videos for the fighters made for a unique feel in American mixed martial arts promotion and “King Mo” Lawal was a near perfect fighter for the first televised walkout.
In the cage, Lawal took on Joe Vedepo and wasted no time in scoring a takedown and working a very tight old school ground and pound style. Lawal gave him no space and landed very heavy punches while Vedepo looked mostly lost off of his back, no real way to get out from under the talented wrestler.
With a little over a minute left in the first round, Lawal had Vedepo’s eye badly swollen and bleeding.
It was more of the same in the second round, Lawal doing whatever he wanted while Vedepo wasn’t able to keep up with the talent across the cage.
In round three the two men exchanged and Vedepo was hurt badly by a right hand. Lawal followed up with a hard flurry and eventually put Vedepo down, where he continued the assault until the referee jumped in.