According to Manager: King Mo out for up to 9 Months

Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion King Mo, is in a new position that he has yet to endure in his young MMA career–he lost his first fight as a professional, in somewhat devastating fashion.

Although not unaccustomed to losing, as he has lost several–though not many–matches in is long and storied wrestling career, that spans from collegiate wrestling to competition overseas.

After his first and only loss to current Strikeforce 205-pound champion Rafael “Feijao” this past Saturday, where the Brazilian Blackhouse stablemate floored the wrestling standout with knee-hook combo before ending the bout with elbows in succession to the head while a prone Muhammed attempted to lock up a single leg, manager Ryan Parsons confirmed with Sherdog.com that his fighter is undergoing some heavy-duty surgery.

With two surgeries being accounted for, Mo will have his left knee operated on, repairing his anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, Parsons believes that his fighter will be sidelined for up to 9 months. Mo, though a true competitor, intended on fighting one more time before the surgery, but his manager insisted.

“Mo wanted to take one more fight, but we decided that this injury should be attended to first,” said Parsons after King Mo was observed by his physician just yesterday.

Some may remember Mo having had ACL surgery not all that long ago. After opening up his career with three consecutive TKO finishes under the Sengoku banner, Mo went to his first decision against Japanese veteran Ryo Kawamura in March of 2009.

It was later learned that Lawal tore his ACL during the contest and was later operated on, and made his return just five months later against Mark Kerr under the M-1 banner.

So, what does Lawal’s absence do to the 205 pound picture for Strikeforce? Immediately, Gegard Mousasi looks like the next logical step, since he is a draw with the fans of Strikeforce, relevant, and back on his winning ways since his loss to Mo, where he recently earned a first round submission win over UFC veteran Jake O’Brien.

Mike Kyle could also be up next for the Brazilian, who will undoubtedly want to exact revenge on the only man to legitimately defeat him convincingly.

So, who deserves the next crack at the title, and is Lawal’s injury hurting him or Strikeforce more in the long run?