Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight Tom DeBlass -- who ended his short-lived retirement to join Bellator MMA back in early 2013 -- has put the 205-pound division on notice by scoring a pair of knockout finishes in back-to-back fights.
Not bad for a guy who's known for his jiu-jitsu.
But don't expect Muhammed Lawal to be impressed as he gears up for their Bellator 123 showdown, which takes place on Sept. 5, 2014 inside Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. After all, it's easy to outstrike opponents with short arms and wild punches.
His words:
"I'm gonna be ready for him. He thinks he's gonna knock me out or something like that. He thinks he has better hands than me, faster hands than me, but I'm glad he thinks that. I want it to be a good fight. He's fought guys with shorter arms that just go out there and swing. His last two fights? That dude was touchin' him up. I'm not worried about it."
"King Mo" also shrugged off any talk of DeBlass having an advantage on the ground.
Lawal (12-4) is coming off a frustrating (and controversial) decision loss to Quinton Jackson at the Bellator 120 pay-per-view (PPV) event last May. While the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion is still at the top of the 205-pound heap, he's struggled to stay consistent since his Jan. 2013 debut.
For more on Bellator 123: "Curran vs. Pitbull 2" including the full fight card and line up click here.