STILLWATER, Okla. – Former Oklahoma State Wrestlers Muhammed Lawal and Daniel Cormier will compete for a world championship at the World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary, beginning Mon., Sept. 26.
Lawal took the title at the U.S. Senior Nationals and then won the finals at the World Team Trials to earn this opportunity. He does not have much international experience, but part of that is due to wrestling at the same weight class (84 kg/185 lbs.) as Cael Sanderson. Sanderson has not competed since he won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics. Lawal is a medal threat despite being a new face on the international scene.
At Oklahoma State, Lawal wrestled one season and finished third at the NCAA Championships in 2003. He began his collegiate career at Central Oklahoma before transferring to OSU.
Cormier has improved each year he has wrestled at the international level. He will be considered one of the favorites at 96 kg (211.5 lbs.). Cormier is coming off of a World Cup title in March, and he finished a disappointing fourth-place at the 2004 Olympic Games. The Russians have been a force at this weight class for the last few years.
At Oklahoma State, Cormier was an All-American in 2001 finishing as the national runner-up at the 184 lb. weight class.
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