Former MLW World Heavyweight Champion Tom Lawlor is a free agent with the performer thanking those with the promotion.
Lawlor’s contract with the group officially expired on Monday with Fightful Select reporting several weeks ago that Lawlor would be leaving MLW.
As of today, I am a free agent in the world of professional wrestling. Thank you to @mlw @courtbauer @MSL @beINSPORTSUSA for the time & effort they put in with me. But mostly I’d like to thank the MLW staff, wrestlers past & present, and fans for the 4 years of memories! #mlw
— FILTHY (@FilthyTomLawlor) November 1, 2021
Lawlor, 38, was a pro wrestler on the Florida independent scene during the mid-2000s prior to his MMA career where he was part of season eight of Ultimate Fighter.
MLW CEO Court Bauer thanked Lawlor for his time with the promotion:
Thank you for your tour of duty, Tom. You were a wonderful collaborator and member of the family. I look forward to your next chapter. See you on down the road, Filthy.
Lawlor fought for the UFC from 2008-2016 and was released while was serving a two-year USADA suspension, which was the subject of great dispute given USADA’s adjusted stance regarding Ostarine, which was the substance detected and Lawlor could not find the source of how it entered into his system.
He was part of MLW’s re-launch beginning in 2017 and would become its world champion in February 2019 when he defeated Low Ki. He was the leader of Team Filthy and engaged in a longstanding feud with Marshall & Ross Von Erich.
Lawlor is also a member of the PFL and fought twice this past year with a submission loss to this season’s light heavyweight champion Antonio Carlos Junior, and a decision victory over Jordan Young back in June.
