Mixed Martial Arts Fighter Convicted of Murder

A mixed martial arts fighter, who gained attention as an anti-violence advocate, has been convicted of murdering a father he believed had a role in his son’s death. This incident occurred shortly after he left his own anti-gun rally.

Lumumba Sayers Sr., 47, was found guilty on Monday of second-degree murder after fatally shooting 28-year-old Malcolm Watson at a birthday party for Watson’s five-year-old son in August 2024, in a park located in Commerce City, a suburb of Denver.

According to prosecutors, Sayers Sr. shot Watson because he suspected him of being involved in a 2023 shooting that had resulted in the death of his son, Lumumba Sayers Jr., who was also a mixed martial arts fighter.

Sayers Sr. directs his late son’s anti-violence organization, Gloves Up Guns Down: Head in the Hood. After attending the rally, he went directly to Watson’s son’s party, where he shot Watson at close range.

Witnesses present at the party had also experienced the earlier shooting that killed Sayers Jr. Interestingly, among them were Sayers Sr.’s daughter and the mother of Watson’s children, both of whom suffered injuries during that incident, which appeared to be retaliatory in nature.

The individual arrested in the shooting that killed Sayers Jr., Tyrell Braxton, 24, received a sentence exceeding 16 years in prison in 2025. Witnesses indicated that Watson was a friend of Braxton’s and suggested that Sayers Sr. was seeking revenge.

Initially, Sayers Sr. faced a first-degree murder charge, which could have led to a life sentence. However, the jury found him guilty instead of second-degree murder, as well as charges for tampering with evidence and attempted tampering. He is expected to be sentenced on July 24th.

In his professional MMA career, the 6-foot, 185-pound fighter ended with a record of 6 wins and 5 losses.