Former Strikeforce, BKFC fighter Lumumba Sayers arrested for alleged revenge murder

Former MMA fighter Lumumba Sayers, who fought top names like Anthony Smith and Derek Brunson, has been arrested in Colorado on murder charges.

The 46-year-old Sayers allegedly shot and killed a man in Commerce City, CO at a child’s birthday party. The shooting victim, identified as 28-year-old Malcolm Watson, was potentially a friend of a man accused of murdering Sayers’s son last August.

Sayers was booked into Adams County Jail (CO) on charges of first-degree murder and menacing. His bond was set at $1 million and the investigation into the shooting is ongoing, as of this writing.

Sayers will appear in court on Thursday for the first time since his arrest, according to TMZ.

Lumumba Sayers fought Anthony Smith, Derek Brunson during career

Sayers most recently fought on the Bare Knuckle FC Prospect Series in May, earning a 12-second knockout against Jeremy Morrison. He was expected to appear in the BKFC ring later this year after the impressive win in his bare-knuckle debut.

Before the win over Morrison, Sayers suffered a three-fight losing streak, including a brutal knockout loss to Canaan Grigsby in 2014. He fought four times in Strikeforce, suffering losses to Smith and Brunson during his promotional tenure.

Sayers retired from MMA following the loss to Grigsby in 2014. Since his retirement, he’s used his platform to help local youth and to denounce gun violence.

Sayers made his professional MMA debut in 2009 at a Colorado Regional event, earning a win over Brian Cristina. After appearances in regional MMA, he signed with Strikeforce in 2011, losing in his debut by first-round submission to Brunson.

Sayers retired from MMA with a 6-5-0 professional record. He also fought 10 times as an amateur fighter, facing off against UFC standout Drew Dober in 2008.

As of this writing, Sayers’s representatives and family members have yet to issue a public statement on his arrest.