Muhammed Lawal has given Texans a reason to be proud. At just 24 years old, he’s the top wrestler in the nation at his weight class, 84 kg (185 pounds), and he will be representing not just Texas—but the entire nation—at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in September.
“It wasn’t easy at all,” said Lawal, a 1999 graduate of Plano East High School in Plano, Texas. “I took my lumps, my beatings. I wasn’t supposed to be the top prospect [coming into college]. I always put pressure on myself. I work hard.”
But with Lawal’s athleticism, dedication and passion for the sport, it’s no surprise that he’s made it where he is today. He’s taken over in the weight class where Cael Sanderson used to reign.
“Technically, he’s probably gotten one of the fieriest double legs,” said Ted Witulski, Head of Coaches Education for USA Wrestling. “He’s athletic as anything. I first started watching Mo when he wrestled for Central Oklahoma when he was a freshman.”
Maybe those fiery double legs are why Lawal was 2 nd in the 2001 NCAA Division II Championships, the 2002 NCAA Division II Champion and was 3 rd in the 2003 NCAA Division I Championships, all huge college accomplishments. Clearly, he made a large imprint in college wrestling.
Lawal wrestled at Central Oklahoma University from 1999-2002 and never wore a red shirt. He transferred to Oklahoma State University for his last year of collegiate wrestling, the 2002-2003 season, where John Smith coached him. Oklahoma State University is well known for their superior wrestling. They won their 33 rd national wrestling title in March 2005 at the NCAA Division I Championships, where five of their wrestlers were also named champions.
Lawal believes part of the reason he’s been successful in wrestling is because he listens in practice and genuinely enjoys the sport.
“I’m coachable,” Lawal said. “I take wrestling serious at practice and I look at matches for fun. It’s Showtime. I don’t hold back my personality.”
Lawal thinks that looking at matches as “Showtime” and for fun helps him stay more relaxed and allows him to wrestle better. His sense of humor keeps him at ease too. Lawal is also known for his pleasant personality.
“ He’s one of the friendliest guys you’ll ever meet,” Witulski said. “He’s always joking around. He’s one of those guys you can always be entertained by because he’s funny. He’s really outgoing.”
To earn his opportunity at the World Championships, Lawal first had to qualify for the World Team Trials in Ames, Iowa that were held on June 19. He did this by placing first at the U.S. Senior Nationals in April in Las Vegas.
At the World Team Trials, Lawal won the series against Lee Fullhart by winning two straight matches to none, earning himself the opportunity to wrestle in Budapest, Hungary at the World Championships in September.
“I’m gonna try my best,” Lawal said. “That’s all I can guarantee. I’m going to leave it all on the mat.”
Lawal is a resident of the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he will train for the World Championships. He will lift weights, do drills on his moves, rehab when necessary, cut weight and watch scout tape on other athletes who will be competing in Budapest.
In addition, Lawal will practice with his colleague, Daniel Cormier, who will also compete at the World Championships at 96 kg (211.5 pounds). Both Lawal and Cormier are part of the Gator Wrestling Club, coached by John Smith.
Witulski is confident in Lawal’s abilities.
“He’s got all kinds of talent,” Witulski said. “I f he goes in the Worlds with the type of confidence he shows, that makes a big statement.”
Surprisingly, Lawal didn’t even start wrestling until he was 16 years old, after his high school coach told him he needed to practice wrestling. He was the 1999 state wrestling champion, and he was the state wrestling runner up in 1997 and 1998. Lawal wrestled from the second semester of his sophomore year on, played football all four years of high school and ran track his freshman and sophomore year.
What draws Lawal to wrestling the most is the challenge.
“It’s an individual sport,” Lawal said. “It’s combat. It’s a test of will and strength and smarts. I’m all about challenges.”
In May 2005, Lawal graduated with a degree in Education from Oklahoma State University. He decided he was not through with wrestling.
“I felt like I still had the desire and burn to wrestle, even though it doesn’t have much financial gain,” Lawal said. “I wanted to.”
Lawal feels like he’s coming closer and closer to his goals every day.
“I got real high expectations,” he said. “Being elite, to me, I’m a long ways away, but every day I’m taking steps toward it.”
Lawal hopes to win one gold medal a year until 2009. His goal is to make it to the Olympics in 2008.
Lawal also enjoys helping people and wants to make an impact on the sport of wrestling.
“I like to help people,” he said. “I want to make a difference. If you get kids to wrestle period, you’re changing the sport of wrestling.”
After the World Championships, Lawal plans to continue to do what he feels he does best: wrestle. He’d like to wrestle into his 30s and he plans to eventually return to Texas, where he visits his family once every three months. He loves Texas and misses his friends, family, the heat and the busy metroplex.
“Texas is home,” Lawal said. “I found who I really was in Texas.”
When Lawal does have free time, he enjoys shopping, working out, and watching boxing and TV. He also loves listening to music.
Lawal is waiting for the World Championships to roll around to prove himself against the best wrestlers around the globe.
“People remember you for what you’ve done at world competitions,” Lawal said. “Go hard or go home. If I wrestle to the best of my capabilities, I will be the world champion.”
----------Christina Hanford------------