UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The king of the Bellator welterweight division has returned.
After an unsuccessful middleweight attempt to attain champ-champ status, Douglas Lima will defend his 170-pound title against Yaroslav Amosov in the Bellator 260 headliner. The event takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena. The main card streams on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.
Atop the divisional throne once again, Lima’s one-off at 185 pounds allowed time for new contenders, like Amosov and Bellator 260 co-headliner Jason Jackson, to surface at welterweight.
Amosov (25-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) has a record that’s eye-catching even to the casual fan. Regardless of opposition level, Lima (32-7 MMA, 14-3 BMMA) sees it as something for Amosov to hang his hat on.
“I think he deserves (the title), for sure,” Lima told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “He’s got solid wins. He doesn’t pick an opponent. He fights whoever they give him and (has an) undefeated record. I think he’s definitely the guy that deserves it.”
“… He’s got pretty good wrestling. He strikes really good. He’s got a definitely impressive record. You don’t see that a lot. It doesn’t matter where you came from, where you fought. If you’re 25-0, you’re doing something right.”
Amosov’s success has been built on a number of different skills, but his wrestling base is often what separates him from his opponents, like in his performances against NCAA All-Americans Ed Ruth and Logan Storley. Despite this, Lima wasn’t quick to call Amosov the best wrestler he’s faced.
“He’s definitely got a different style than a bunch of other wrestlers. But, he’s good. It’s just different styles. That’s what I said. But he’s definitely tough. But like I said, I’ve been there with every type of (wrestlers) out there like straight wrestlers, wrestler-strikers.”
While fresh faces are appreciated, an old foe has also emerged as a potential next No. 1 contender. Michael “Venom” Page (19-1 MMA, 15-1 BMMA), who Lima defeated by knockout at Bellator 221 in 2019, recently called the titleholder “un-champion-like” and accused him of dodging fights.
Lima finds Page’s verbal jabs ridiculous but will be happy to oblige him in the future – maybe, as soon as his next fight after Bellator 260.
“I mean, of course, he’s trying to get the fight,” Lima said. “He’s been winning fights. In my opinion, I don’t think he is fighting guys (who’ll) get him to the title. As far as me running, come on, man. I never got offered the fight. If he was doing his right moves, he’d be offered the fight. Scott Coker never came to me, ‘OK, ‘MVP’ is next.’ No, I’m going to say no, no, come on. That’s the guy that I killed in two rounds. Why would I say no to a fight like that? You know what I mean? But he’s just got to do his work. I think maybe his one win away.
“If he fights Larkin or Koreshkov, it will get him right there. But he’s not doing that. He’s not fighting guys (who) are top five, top three – guys (who’ll get him to the title). I’m not too worried about that. I’m focusing on that right now. We’ll see what happens after.”
