In 2009, Strikeforce heavyweight Bobby Lashley was something of an oddity. An unknown commodity fighting for a promotion that, similarly, was trying to figure out its own identity. One part legitimate talent and one part freak-show draw, nobody quite knew what to make of Lashley and, when he left a relatively mainstream and talent-rich promotion to become a journeyman, it was was an odd blend of surprising and expected.
In 2015, however, Lashley is a legitimate player in Bellator's heavyweight division. Riding a five-fight winning streak and owning a respectable 12-2 career record, he could be poised to contend for one of the top prizes in MMA.
The only thing between him and and a crack at the Bellator heavyweight championship? British slugger James "the Colossus" Thompson. While preparing for what might be the biggest fight of his career, the crossover star took the time to speak with Bleacher Report about his past, present and future in MMA.
"I enjoy it, that's the biggest thing," he said while discussing his development as a fighter. "I feel comfortable in the ring...I'm not having that adrenaline dump. I'm going out there, saying 'I've trained with better people than this guy.' There's no sense in me trying to end things really fast. Just go out there and have fun."
Lashley was a standout collegiate wrestler with accomplishments including three NAIA championships, three CISM medals and a third-place finish at the Team USA World Team Trials in freestyle wrestling. A knee injury forced him out of an Olympic bid, however, and he went on to professional wrestling from there, eventually signing on with WWE.
While a world-class wrestling base can allow fighters to instantly find decent success in the cage, Lashley practically went from the squared circle to high-level MMA almost overnight. His professional debut came in December of 2008 and, by January 2010, he was facing grizzled veteran Wes Sims in Strikeforce.
While he beat Sims, he would come up short against the unknown Chad Griggs and would fade into the the regional scene for a long while. He would later muse that he shouldn't have signed with the promotion, but today feels his time in Strikeforce was more of a "double-edged sword."
"If I was a bit more comfortable at the time, I think I would have been even better," Lashley said. "It isn't that I wish I wouldn't have done it. If I didn't do it, I wouldn't have made the money that I have today that I made there, and I wouldn't have the exposure...I don't necessarily think that it was a bad thing for me to do it...When I was given the decision at the time, I jumped on it. If I knew what I know, I might have done the same thing...I had a good time and I really appreciate Scott [Coker] giving me the opportunity at that time. I learned a lot.
Though Lashley has been steadily improving as a mixed martial artist over the years, he remains a draw in professional wrestling. Sports entertainment remains a passion for him, and he is currently one of the top names in TNA, with a scheduled appearance "the next week" after the fight.
Don't mistake his juggling of the two for a lack of commitment to MMA, though. "Lots of fighters have full-time jobs in addition to fighting," he points out, and with a part-time schedule in TNA, he is free to train with American Top Team's branches in Colorado and Florida, as well as with former UFC heavyweight champ Josh Barnett.
Lashley has fought Thompson before. Shortly after its inception, Indian promotion Super Fight League signed a slew of prominent MMA free agents, with the two gargantuan heavyweights competing in the main event of SFL 3. After a wild back-and-forth first round, Lashley's cardio faded. While he was able to muster up some offense, Thompson was able to control much of the action with his clinch work, taking a 29-28 unanimous-decision win as a result.
Still, Lashley is feeling bullish about his chances in the rematch. "Some way, somehow, whether it's knocking him down or taking him down, putting him on his back, I'll drop a couple of bombs on him," he predicted. "I'll probably get a TKO. If he tries to cover up too much, I'll submit him. I'll finish him on the ground...I'll get a finish in the first two rounds."
If he can pull if off, a bout with Bellator heavyweight champ Vitaly Minakov could be in his future. Circle back to Bleacher Report for our coverage of Bellator 138.
All quotes obtained firsthand by Bleacher Report.
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