The Bellator MMA welterweight championship once again rests upon the capable shoulder of Douglas Lima.
A punishing jab, well-timed takedowns and airtight takedown defense carried the Atlanta-based Brazilian to a unanimous decision over Rory MacDonald in the Bellator 232 headliner on Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Lima (32-7, 14-3) swept the scorecards in the Bellator welterweight grand prix final, eliciting 49-46, 50-45 and 50-45 marks from the judges.
MacDonald (21-6-1, 3-2-1 Bellator) seemed tentative and unsure of himself for much of the match, perhaps a residual effect from his first encounter with “The Phenom” a little less than two years ago -- a fight he won but a fight in which Lima’s crushing kicks exacted a serious toll on the Canadian’s lead leg.