Defining Fights: Bellator 232 headliner Douglas Lima
Former Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima makes the walk to the cage for the 39th time in his 13-year MMA career on Saturday as he bids to become a three-time Bellator champ at 170 pounds.
The Brazilian striker has been one of the most spectacular athletes to compete under the Bellator banner through the years, and his trail of destruction has led him to two Bellator titles and one Bellator welterweight grand prix win.
In Uncasville, Conn., this weekend, “The Phenom” will look to defeat the man who took the title from him back in January 2018, Rory MacDonald, and in the process become a three-time Bellator champion and three-time welterweight tournament winner.
Ahead of his $1 million main event clash with MacDonald, we take a look back at six fights that have helped define Lima’s career in Bellator.
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Chris Lozano at Bellator 53 – Oct. 8, 2011
Lima arrived in Bellator with a solid 18-4 record and a first-round finish of the respected Terry Martin fresh on his resumé from his time as the Maximum Fighting Championship welterweight champion.
The Brazilian outpointed Steve Carl then, in his second appearance inside the Bellator cage, he delivered a statement in the form of a sledgehammer right hand that sent 9-1 contender Chris Lozano crashing to the canvas for a devastating second-round knockout.
It formally announced Lima as a dangerous threat to the division’s best as he surged into the tournament final against former UFC veteran Ben Saunders.