Muhammed Lawal turned the page on his rivalry with Quinton Jackson and did so on his terms.
The former Strikeforce champion leaned on a suffocating clinch game and a few early takedowns in claiming a unanimous decision over the beefed-up Jackson in the Bellator 175 headliner on Friday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. All three cageside judges arrived at the same verdict: 29-28 for Lawal (21-6, 11-3 Bellator), who has won nine of his past 11 fights (Vegas odds).
Jackson (37-12, 4-1 Bellator) wobbled “King Mo” with a left hook in the second round and seemed to have him in real danger with the punches that followed.