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[smoogy]

Former collegiate wrestling standout and WWE superstar Bobby Lashley (0-0) will make his professional MMA debut for the Mixed Fighting Alliance on Dec. 13 in Miami.

Officials from the Florida-based organization recently confirmed Lashley's bout with fellow first-time fighter Joshua Franklin (0-0) with MMAjunkie.com.

Lashley will make the appearance while on loan from the American Fight League, who have elected to suspend operations until 2009.

Lashley, a two-time NAIA national wrestling champion while at Missouri Valley College, also won two armed-forces titles while serving in the U.S. Army. The 32-year-old signed with the WWE in 2003 and debuted with the organization in 2005. His character won titles in both the WWE and Extreme Championship Wrestling organizations.

Lashley signed with the American Fight League in May. The former WWE superstar told MMAjunkie.com then that he was taking his time in preparation for his MMA debut.

"I'm putting it all together," Lashley said. "I'm going into this thing not with just overpowering my own style with [wrestling]. I'm actually learning everything else. I'm learning the jiu-jitsu; I'm taking it from the basics. I'm learning my kickboxing, my boxing. I'm getting the whole game tied together. So when I debut, it's not going to be a wrestler trying to do MMA. It's going to be a fighter."

In addition to Lashley vs. Franklin, "Mixed Fighting Alliance: There Will Be Blood" will be headlined by Jeff Monson (26-8) vs Ricco Rodriguez (34-9). That bout will represent a rematch from "UFC 35: Throwdown." That 2002 fight saw Rodriguez, who was on a nine-fight win streak at the time, victorious with a third-round TKO.

Tickets for "Mixed Fighting Alliance: There Will Be Blood," which will be held at The American Airlines Arena in Miami, are currently on sale and range from $30 to $200.

Bobby Lashley vs. Joshua Franklin set for Mixed Fighting Alliance card | MMAjunkie.com


Anyone know where Franklin trains out of?

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

Well, guess Min Soo Kim is busy.

[Y2JUBAE]

Originally Posted by Fedorlei Gomipierre

Well, guess Min Soo Kim is busy.

Typical...

Lashley isn't Brock. Get over it.
Lashley's personality is the complete opposite of Brocks.

I can't wait to see where Lash is at with his MMA game and how much he improves in the future.

Really, they could have put him against Kimbo to give him a jump start into the mma world. Bob crybaby Sapp even. Rookie or not, he could wipe the mat with those 2.

As much as I like Lash, something tells me this... Keep him away from good Jujitsu fighters!

[smoogy]

Yeah I don't see how Lashley deserves any grief, he isn't trying to use his rasslin history to cut the line or anything. After watching King Mo run wild on fools in Sengoku, I'm looking forward to see another elite collegiate champ demonstrate his ability

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

well, I wasn't really comparing him to brock, but more or less pro wrestlers transitioning to MMA in general, being Brock, Ohaire and what could've been Lashley, but what do you know.

yeah, lashley is a much more subdued and restained person than brock and if you want to compare the two, nobody could better than me, but that wasn't really what I was saying. They've booked the dude against two WWE alum, why not three.

[smoogy]

Originally Posted by Fedorlei Gomipierre

well, I wasn't really comparing him to brock, but more or less pro wrestlers transitioning to MMA in general, being Brock, Ohaire and what could've been Lashley, but what do you know.

yeah, lashley is a much more subdued and restained person than brock and if you want to compare the two, nobody could better than me, but that wasn't really what I was saying. They've booked the dude against two WWE alum, why not three.

Its all good. Hopefully we never see Kim in a major show ever again, him tapping to being mounted by Lesnar was shameful shit

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

i think it'd have been cool to see Lashley debut against a bigger name, I mean, neglecting his "mainstream wrestling background" he is nonetheless a big name in MMA. Personally, I'd raither Buentello, Eillers, Brett Rogers or Wiuff or somebody who he could build his career on. Think he'll do good, but have heard some stuff about his mental toughness, so who knows if he'll blow them outta the water?!

[jlruthven84]

I think they'll start gradually giving him bigger names if he does well in his debut.

[Nothing Ninja]

WHo cares if he was in the WWE - this is what he is doing now. Do plumbers, wall street brokers, gymnists, etc. get shit for moving into MMA? So why do people get hung up on pro-wrestlers doing it, ones with legit wrestling credentials?

I think he is doing it the right way by fighting someone who is 0-0 as well. He'll be given better guys as he improves. Who cares where he comes from, it's his first fight - the competition is suited.