LFA 114 video: Former Penn State wrestler Jimmy Lawson pulverizes opponent with brutal 18-second KO

A former wrestling standout, heavyweight Jimmy Lawson showed he has some hands in his LFA debut.

Known for his wrestling, [autotag]Jimmy Lawson[/autotag] showed there’s more to his game in his LFA debut Friday.

At LFA 114, Lawson (3-1) extended his winning and finishing streaks to three with a brutal 18-second knockout of Bellator alum [autotag]Anthony Garrett[/autotag]. The event took place at The Factory at the District in St-Louis and streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

Lawson, a former Penn State University wrestler, came out guns a-blazing. He swung wildly at Garrett (6-4), who timidly retreated in an attempt to avoid danger. That attempt failed, however, as Garrett was met with a powerful right hand that crumpled him against the cage – and that was it.

Since his transition to MMA began, Lawson has spent time developing at some of the United States’ top gyms. Originally with American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), Lawson also has spent time at Nick Catone’s MMA & Fitness.

In 2019, Lawson lost his professional debut to Said Sowma, who is now with Bellator, via unanimous decision. In defeat, he also lost out on a slot on Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 2. Since then, Lawson has won all three of his following professional fights via TKO or knockout with two victories in Ring of Combat prior to his LFA debut Friday.

The up-to-the-minute LFA 114 results include:

  • Jimmy Lawson def. Anthony Garrett via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:18
  • Joseph Holmes def. DeWayne Diggs via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:48
  • Ben Bennett def. Elmar Umarov via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 0:58
  • William Starks def. Irfan Mulabitinovic via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:16

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