Photo Credit: Esther Lin/Strikeforce

By FCF Staff

Roger Gracie has sustained a knee injury that will prohibit him from facing former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion “King Mo” Lawal on the Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson fight card at Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill.on July 30, according to a source close to the event.

The 29-year-old, 6-foot-4 Gracie (4-0) was slated to make his highly-anticipated return to the Strikeforce cage after what would have been a six-month layoff from competition.  Gracie was last seen in action in San Jose, Calif. on Jan. 29 when he submitted former South African national wrestling champion Trevor Prangley with a rear-naked choke inside of one round.

Gracie, a  native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil who resides in The United Kingdom where he operates The Roger Gracie Academy, has won all four of his professional MMA bouts by way of submission.  Only one of his opponents – former UFC champion and NCAA wrestling champion Kevin Randleman – has been able to take Gracie into the second round.

Lawal (7-1) was looking forward to making his first start since last Aug. 21 when he sustained a knee injury during his Strikeforce light heavyweight title defense against Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante in Houston, Texas.  Cavalcante scored a third round TKO on Lawal with a barrage of punches and elbow strikes.

As a result of the injury he sustained, Lawal underwent surgery for his anterior cruciate ligament.  The procedure was successful.