“King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (7-0) won a five-round unanimous decision over “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (25-3-1) for the Strikeforce light heavyweight title in Nashville Saturday night by scores of 49-45 on all three judges’ scorecards.  Fighters.com scored the fight exactly the same.

The former champion, Mousasi, never lost control of the fight, but never took control either as Lawal scored takedowns at will.  Mousasi merely clammed up and accepted the position on his back.

Lawal and Mousasi probably broke even on the mat, Lawal scoring lunging shots through Mousasi’s full guard and Mousasi countering with upkicks and hammerfists that closed Lawal’s left eye by round three. But Lawal controlled the fight from the top on the ground and, surprisingly, gave up nothing to Mousasi, a trained boxer and kickboxer, during the stand-up exchanges.

Mousasi only managed to win the second round and looked in position to take the victory as Lawal had worn himself out grounding’n'pounding during the first frame.  But, Lawal got a second wind while Mousasi only wilted as the fight progressed.

Lawal remains undefeated and ascends as one of the top prospects in MMA.

The three felonies include sexual assault,attempted sexual assault and open and gross lewdness. Each of these crimes carries a minimum of one year in prison.

According to Barbara Morgan, a Public Information Officer with the Las Vegas Police Department, Whitehead turned himself into the LVPD’s Investigative Services Division on Wednesday.

He was arrested after he failed to answer questions concerning a sexual assault of a female he was allegedly involved in this past Saturday. He is currently being held until a bail hearing can be set.

Additional charges could still be coming for Mike based on the marijuana grow operation detectives found when they went to serve a warrant in response to the sexual assault. Detectives found 50 marijuana plants inside the residence, all of which were confiscated and destroyed after they were granted a warrant for the plants.

Whitehead is best known for his participation on “The Ultimate Fighter 2″ but was released by the UFC after his loss to “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (14-7-1). After the cut he fought for the now defunct International Fight League and Affliction before finding a home in Strikeforce.

Strikeforce seemed like a good place for Mike as he got back-to-back wins until he ran into “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (6-0) at Strikeforce:Evolution where he suffered a first round KO.

President of Strikeforce, Scott Coker has decided to not comment on the Whitehead situation and is waiting to see how the legal problems shake out. Fighters.com believes it will not be long before he is cut by Strikeforce due to the arrest and pending felonies.

MMA has seen enough problems recently with champions acting more like clowns, fighters using steroids and much more. Whitehead’s case does not help the image of an MMA fighter when presented to the casual fan or the uninitiated. Obviously in every sport there are some that can’t seem to stay out fo trouble but in a sport that is so young and pushing so hard to be accepted by the main stream, every little incident like this one is a step back and makes it harder for the sport to move forward in a positive light.

Stay tuned to Fighters.com and MMA Gospel Radio as we look to bring you more details in this case as they develop.

M-1 Global officials apparently announced the change at an M-1 Selection Eastern European press conference Thursday.  M-1 Global is Emelianenko’s management company.  Strikeforce has not confirmed the change.

Yesterday Fighters.com reported that Strikeforce was considering Nashville for their April event, which has long been pegged to air on CBS.  However, Emelianenko’s contract mandates his fights be aired on CBS.  So, it’s likely the April event will be moved to CBS cable affiliate Showtime.

It’s also now unclear whether the matchup between Strikeforce light heavyweight champion “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1) and “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (4-0) will occur in April or May.  Mousasi has indicated he’ll only fight when Emelianenko fights, but it’s unclear whether that’s a contractual mandate or merely his desire.

The move of the Emelianenko-Werdum matchup to May also potentially allows Strikeforce heavyweight champion “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (29-10) to defend his title on the same card.  Overeem had stated he couldn’t fight for Strikeforce until May.

The first fight ended in a controversial decision for Machida.  The rematch should crown a definitive champion at 205 pounds.

If Rua wins, we could even see a mouthwatering matchup versus top contender “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4), who also reigns as Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion.  Silva has indicated his unwillingness to fight training partner Machida, but Silva and Rua have a war of words between them and a title fight would be a grudge match as well.

Fourth-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (14-1-1) won a workmanlike unanimous decision over fifth-ranked Thiago Silva (15-2) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas January 2 with a return to his wrestling base.  Next for Evans is seventh-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) at UFC 114 in Las Vegas May 29.

Silva should get a second crack at a top ten opponent in his next fight.

Sixth-ranked Forrest Griffin (17-6) and eighth-ranked “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3) are likely to matchup at UFC 113, though the fight isn’t yet official.

Ninth-ranked Strikeforce champ “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1) expects he’ll fight rising star “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (4-0) at Strikeforce in April on CBS.

Tenth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1) has been preparing to return after facial surgery, but into the middleweight division.

Fighters.com’s January Light Heavyweight Top Ten

1. “Dragon” Lyoto Machida (16-0)

2. “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4)

3. “Shogun” Mauricio Rua (18-4)

4. “Sugar” Rashad Evans (14-1-1)

5. Thiago Silva (15-2)

6. Forrest Griffin (17-6)

7. “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7)

8. “Minotoro” Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3)

9. “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1)

10. “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1)

“People talk about this guy is unbeatable,” Lawal told Sherdog.  “Anybody can be beat in any sport.”

Lawal fought Whitehead at heavyweight, what Lawal called the “money weight”, and indicated he’d fight in whichever division makes sense and “makes dollars.”

The same night, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said Emelianenko was like to fight ninth-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1) on CBS in April.

Lawal has a Strikeforce matchup versus “Iron” Mike Whitehead (24-6) lined up for Saturday in San Jose.

“Well, we both have fights on the horizon that we have to take care of first,” Lawal told Tatame.  “He’ll have his hands full against guys like Fabricio and Overeem. I know I have to keep winning and so does he.”

Emelianenko will fight either ninth-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1) or “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (29-10) in 2010.

Lawal commented, ” He’s not fighting very often so I don’t know.”

“I’m very happy to be a part of Strikeforce and their partnership with CBS and Showtime,” said the 39-year-old Henderson.

“We are excited to welcome Dan Henderson to Strikeforce,” said Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker.  “Dan is one of the world’s premiere fighters who has lived out an extraordinary career.  We are looking forward to having him compete for us.”

Notably absent from Strikeforce’s announcement was which division the versatile former Olympian will compete in.

Strikeforce’s light heavyweight division is owned by champion Gegard Mousasi (23-2-1) and the promotion’s middleweight division is topped by second-ranked Jake Shields (23-4-1).

Henderson can likely take his pick.  For his new promotion, Henderson has no downside.  Coming off of a brutal knockout of Brit “Count” Michael Bisping (18-2) at UFC 100 in Las Vegas in July, Hendo’ was likely and rightly next in line for another challenge to Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (25-4), making him the UFC’s best of the rest at 185-pounds.  Should he beat Shields in a Strikeforce title fight, Strikeforce crowns a proven UFC-level champion.  Should he lose to Shields, he vets Shields as at least as good as the UFC’s former top 185-pound challenger.  Versus Mousasi at 205-pounds, the same logic applies as Henderson is a former PRIDE champion and went five rounds with former UFC light heavyweight champ sixth-ranked “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) in a UFC title fight.

Though Mousasi has already publicly lobbied for a fight versus Hendo’, Fighters.com expects Henderson and Shields to matchup for the Strikeforce title.

And, like Mousasi, Shields is ready to take his case for the fight public.  Monday night, Shields told Fighters.com exclusively, “I would love to [fight Henderson], but it’s up to Hendo’ and Strikeforce.  But, on my end, all I need is a date and I will fight.”

Not to be forgot is former Hendo’ pupil and recent Strikeforce signee “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (4-0).  Though untested, Lawal has a little hype behind him and competes at 205-pounds.  If Hendo’ were to take the Strikeforce title at light heavyweight, it puts a temporary stop-gap on Lawal’s budding career because it’s unlikely sensei and pupil would ever fight.

Finally, though Henderson prefers not making the weight cut to 185-pounds, his record clearly indicates he’s more competitive at middleweight.

Regardless which division Henderson fights in, his signing is a coup for Strikeforce because he’s been promoted in the US as a coach on SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter and over a million people watched him cold-cock Bisping at UFC 100.

Perhaps Frye is to blame? M-1 Global Chief Operating Officer Joost Raimond thinks so, saying Monday, “Don Frye had a signed contract with M-1 and part of that signed commitment allowed us to change the venue if needed. From our perspective, Don should still be in this fight. However, for reasons that we aren’t exactly sure of, he has backed out. Don still has not provided us with a clear reason as to why he is refusing to fight. It just doesn’t make sense because the old Don Frye was willing to fight anyone, anywhere, and at anytime. Perhaps the fire is gone and he underestimated the challenge that ‘King Mo’ presents?”

Ostentatious former NCAA wrestling champion “King Mo” won a unanimous decision over Pancrase veteran Ryo Kawamura (9-3-2) at Sengoku Seventh Battle in Tokyo last March. He’ll fight for the first time in his home nation at Breakthrough.

Kerr was tapped out in a rear naked choke by “Snowman” Jeff Monson (28-8) at Vengeance Fighting Championship in Concord, North Carolina last September. He’s 2-9 in the last nine years.

Lawal has the tools and charisma to fight to the top of the middleweight or light heavyweight divisions, but must seek fights versus other contemporary contenders even if it means smaller paydays now.

Originally scheduled to coincide with the International Mixed Martial Arts Expo in Los Angeles 27-29 August, Fighters.com’s sources have inidcated the IMMAE is considering rescheduling for the weekend of UFC 104 in Los Angeles 23-25 October.

“[Breakthrough] may move to northern California or Nevada [because of the IMMAE rescheduling],” said Fighters.com’s source.

The IMMAE has not replied to Fighters.com’s request for comment.

Sports Illustrated reported Wednesday that M-1 Global had not yet approached the California State Athletic Commission for a license to stage the fight card.

Days after UFC President Dana White mocked M-1 Global for suggesting the promotions co-promote in exchange for sealed deal with Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko’s (29-1), M-1 Global’s lack of attention to detail seems amateurish, especially for an international promotion.

Fighters.com: What is your greatest strength going into the Stevenson fight?  What do you think is his biggest strength against you?

Kenny Florian: Yeah, you know, hmm… I think my biggest strength is probably my versatility in this fight.  I think me being versatile, I feel like I can kinda do it all.  I feel I’m more a well-rounded fighter than him.  I feel like he’s a fighter who does mixed martial arts and I’m a mixed martial arts fighter, and I think there’s a difference in that.  And, I think his biggest strength is his experience.  He has an insane amount of experience, a lot more than myself; so, that certainly can be an advantage.

Fighters.com: Where are you training and who are you training with?   Who’s helping you prepare for your upcoming fight against Stevenson?

Kenny Florian: I do all my training here in Boston.  I train obviously with my brother, Keith, for jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts.  He’s my head trainer, along with Mark DelaGrotte, who’s my Muay Thai instructor and MMA instructor.  And, also Peter Welch for boxing, and my strength and conditioning coach, Kevin Kearns, and my nutritionist, Jesse Kropelnicki.

Fighters.com: Are you doing anything different in your training for the Stevenson fight?

Kenny Florian: It’s pretty much stayed the same.  Obviously there‘s specific things I focus on for each opponent but for the most part I’m always just trying to be as well-rounded as possible, trying to improve my game and learn as much as possible.

Fighters.com: Is the winner of this fight guaranteed a title shot by the UFC?

Kenny Florian: No, you know, I haven’t heard anything as far as that goes; and, [laughing] you know, things change so quickly with the UFC and the landscape of the lightweight division.  It’s kinda crazy right now with BJ Penn going up to welterweight and fighting; and, who knows what he’s going to do.  So, I’ve kind of just learned to take it one fight at a time and just wait and see what happens.  So, my focus really is on the Stevenson fight and after that, we’ll see.

Fighters.com: After defeating Fighters.com’s fifth-ranked lightweight “Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk (33-3-1), Lightweight Champion “Prodigy” BJ Penn (13-4-1) said at the post-fight press conference that he couldn’t get excited for a fight against the winner of Florian versus “El Matador” Roger Huerta (20-2-1).  Then, you were passed over for a title shot against Penn.  Does the UFC agree with him that Penn versus Florian isn’t an exciting fight?

Kenny Florian: Um, I’m not sure.  You know, I don’t think so.  I think it’s more that the Georges St. Pierre and BJ Penn fight is probably a more exciting fight, more than anything else.  I don’t think they feel it’s not an exciting fight.  It’s probably more that it’s exciting that you get two champions fighting each other, I believe for the first time.  So, BJ Penn and Georges St. Pierre having had a history in the past, it makes for a very marketable fight.

Fighters.com: You’ve said that you’d be happy if you had to fight once more before another title shot or ten more times, as long as they keep giving you top guys.  How content are you just to be the top contender?

Kenny Florian: You know, for me, it’s just the same.  Every fight is a risk.  I never consider myself a number one contender, or a number three contender, or whatever.  I’m just going out there and trying to be the best Kenny Florian that I can be.  I enjoy the training, I enjoy the fighting, and I just want to test myself, and whether it’s for a ranking or for the championship, I really just try to have the same attitude every time.

Fighters.com: Should the UFC try to sign some of the hyped lightweights like second-ranked “Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi (28-4), ninth-ranked “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (15-3), third-ranked Eddie Alvarez (13-1), or fourth-ranked “Hell Boy” Joachim Hansen (18-7) to give you the opportunity to make your name against some of these guys thought to be better fighters?

Kenny Florian: I would love to.  You know, there are so many great lightweights out there.  There’s a ton in the UFC already; so, it’s not like it’s not competitive right now.  But definitely, I’m always looking for new and exciting fighters to compete against; and, definitely there’s a lot over in Japan; and, I’d love to be able to compete.  I just want to keep competing against the best and whether they’re in Japan or in the United States, then that’s great.

Fighters.com: You recently opened up your own gym with your brother in Brookline, southwest of Boston.  What was your motivation behind that, and what do you, specifically, bring to the table that’s unique?   What do you have to offer your students?

Kenny Florian: Well, you know, it’s always been a dream of mine ever since I started learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu just to start to teach.  It gave me and my brother so much as far as… obviously physical abilities and technical abilities, but the mental confidence and mental ease that it gives you, patience, discipline, persistence… I just found it real beneficial and found that if I could benefit from it then it anybody could.

And so it’s been a dream of ours for a long time to open up a school.  Our school is kind of unique in that, although I’m a fighter, I don’t really cater to fighters.  We’re not in there to produce a fight team per se.  We’re more in there to kinda get the regular person who wants to go in there and learn how to defend themselves in a fun and safe manner.  We cater to women, kids, adults, you know, just the regular Joe off the street who wants to learn to do what I do.

Fighters.com: You seem to keep pretty busy these days, with training, MMA Live, your gym.  What else do you have on your plate right now?

Kenny Florian: Well, between the training, MMA Live on ESPN, and the school and, of course, I have appearances and different commitments that I do with seminars and things like that and UFC commitments with media and stuff, it’s more than a full time job.  It definitely keeps me busy.  And training alone is a lot.  It’s fun though.  I definitely feel blessed and lucky that I have that as my job.  I get to do that full time and still get to have a good time doing it.

Fighters.com: How has being so busy affected your training?

Kenny Florian: You know what, it kind of gives me more of a laser-like focus, I find.  I don’t have time to really screw around.  I have to manage my time so well that I really don’t have much time for anything else, so I really have to be so specific with my training schedule and the way that I eat and the way that I train and where I’m going and all that stuff.  It almost makes it easier, in a way.  I don’t have time to mess around; so, it’s business all the time.  It’s go, go, go, go, go.

Fighters.com: You’ve achieved your dream of becoming a pro fighter.  Do you have other goals you’re working towards?

Kenny Florian: Um, I’m not sure.  I kind of take it day-by-day.  I hope to have a successful business running the school and be able to spread around the way that I train and the way that I’ve learned mixed martial arts and things like that and hope to be able to help spread the knowledge that I have and experience that I have to others.  I would love to be a just a great coach to a lot of fighters and be a mentor to a lot of fighters out there.  I’d definitely take a lot of pride [in that] and love doing that.  So, I’d love to take some fighters under my wing and really help them become great fighters and hopefully champions.

Fighters.com: Why does “King Mo” Muhammad Lawal (2-0) call you “Pimpin’ Ken”?

Kenny Florian: Why does what, I’m sorry?

Fighters.com: Mo Lawal?

Kenny Florian: Yeah, I know Mo.  Yeah, what does he call me?

Fighters.com: “Pimpin’ Ken”.  He recently did an interview with Fighters.com and…

Kenny Florian: [Laughing] Man, I don’t know why he calls me “Pimpin’ Ken”!  I don’t know.  You know, I’m a big fan of Mo.  Mo’s a great fighter, he’s a tremendous wrestler, and tremendous talent, and such a smart kid.  The sky’s the limit for him.  I don’t know why he calls me “Pimpin’ Ken”, but I think that’s just Mo’s style.  [Laughing]  Mo’s funny, man.  He’s a great guy.  Great guy.

Fighters.com: Do you have anything else to share?

Kenny Florian: No, just want to thank you for the interview and thank all the fans out there for their support of me.  And, if they’re not a fan of mine, then I thank them for their support of the sport.  It’s so important that we keep up a big fan following and show everyone that this is a legitimate sport and that the fans love it.  So thanks a lot.

Meet Team Quest’s “King Mo” Muhammad Lawal (1-0), Fighters.com’s Fighter of the Month.  Lawal made his much-anticipated MMA debut in Tokyo 28 September with a first-round TKO over heavyweight veteran “Diesel” Travis Wiuff (53-12).

Lawal first spoke to Fighters.com after joining Team Quest in April when, despite his success in amateur wrestling, I advised him to pursue a measured path through the sport.

He wisely ignored me.  Despite Wiuff’s ten-fight win streak and having knocked out “Ironhead” Kazuyuki Fujita (15-7) for the first time ever in his previous fight, Lawal jumped right in to MMA.

Lawal told Fighters.com last weekend, “The only hesitation and discussion [about fighting Wiuff] came from the haters, naysayers, and the people that picked me to lose.  I was confident and felt good.  It was a dream come true for me to fight and even better to make my debut in Japan.”

Before MMA, Lawal was a 1999 Texas wrestling champion from Plano East High School, a 2002 NCAA Division II champion from Central Oklahoma, and won the U.S. Nationals in freestyle wrestling at 84 kg/185 lbs in April by beating Andy Hrovat 1-1, 1-0 in the finals.

After winning Nationals, Lawal told USA Wrestling, “Ever since I started wrestling I wanted to be the best.  I wanted to reach the highest level in the sport and I know I can do that by winning a gold medal in the Olympics.  That’s all I’ve wanted to do for a long time: win the Olympics.”

He seemed comfortably on his way to Beijing.

But, at the Olympic Team Trials in Las Vegas 15 June, Hrovat would resurface to shatter Lawal’s Olympic dreams with a two-point takedown with seven seconds remaining in the tie-breaking third period.

“It was a li’l controversial; but, Hrovat won,” Lawal admitted, but also complained, “There were a few questionable calls in the second match that went against me.”

It was close.  Lawal scored two one-point takedowns to even the score in the third period; but, Hrovat won the period and match with his two-pointer, taking the match by scores 0-1, 1-0, 2-2.

“I’ma be real wit’ you.  When it was all said and done, I was just tired of dedicating my life to being broke,” Lawal confided.  “[Losing] wasn’t a heart breaker really.  I had beat the 2008 Olympic champ before.  I’m much happier fighting.  It’s a dream to have this as a job!”

It wasn’t just who Lawal made his fighting debut versus, but how he finished his first professional fight that was impressive.

The wrestler out-boxed the mixed martial arts veteran of 65 fights, knocking Wiuff to the ropes with a Superman punch.

“Melchor Menor taught me [the Superman punch],” Lawal said.  “I knew how to do it, but I was doin’ it wrong.  He helped me improve it.

“I worked on my hands for five weeks wit’ Melchor Menor at Lava Fitness and two weeks with Justin Fortune at Fortune Gym.  These are world class trainers here.”

Besides Menor and Fortune, Lawal told Fighters.com in April, “I’ve sparred with Sokoudjou, Cyrille Diabate, Dan Hendo’, Chael Sonnen, Matt Lindland, Brian Stann, Alberto Crane, Mark Bocek, and a few others.  I’ve trained with Matt and Dan, also GSP and Nathan Marquardt.”

And, Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked lightweight “KenFlo” Kenny Florian (10-3) has taken note too, inviting Lawal to train with him in Boston.

Lawal intends to accept that invitation, saying, “Y’all call him “KenFlo”; but, I call him “Pimpin’ Ken”!  He is my boy.  I got so much respect for him. I’ve learned a lot from him about the MMA game.”

The transition from wrestling to the MMA game hasn’t been all glory for Lawal.

“It’s all hard,” Lawal admits.  “Having to blend it all together for sparring is tough.  It’s a different pace.  Wrestlin’ matches ain’t nearly as long as a fight.  Ain’t no timeouts unless it’s for a cut or low blow.”

And. Lawal alluded to “the haters” after his big win in Tokyo and told Fighters.com, “I’m not gonna say any names, but there are a lot of people that would love to see me fail.  They give me extra motivation to prove them wrong.  They think I am brash and arrogant.  I might be, but I train hard and that gives me the right to be that way. You don’t gotta like me.”

Maybe it’s “King Mo” that “the haters” want to see fail.  Lawal entered his first MMA fight with that moniker and flanked by four models.

“My boy, Kami, gave me that name two years ago.  I’m known for doin’ thangs that ain’t traditional.  I wanna set trends.  I’m try’na have fun.”

Besides fun, Lawal ranked his MMA goals this way: “Respect, honor, money – GDP (get dat paper), and fame.”