Douglas Lima not long ago was one of the top fighters on the Bellator MMA roster at any weight, and aside from a five-round decision loss to the unbeaten Ben Askren, he had been virtually untouchable.
Between Oct. 10, 2009 and April 18, 2014, Lima recorded 14 wins in 15 appearances, 11 of them by knockout, technical knockout or submission. Former World Series of Fighting champion Steve Carl and Ultimate Fighting Championship veterans Ben Saunders (twice), Clint Hester and Terry Martin were all defeated by the Brazilian welterweight; and at Bellator 117, Lima captured promotional gold at 170 pounds with a second-round TKO on onetime Olympian Rick Hawn.