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Douglas Lima is a grasp at rematches. A three-time Bellator MMA welterweight champion whose punches and kicks land with combat-ending power, he is complicated adequate to cope with the initial time you tussle with him. But if you discover yourself dealing with Lima a next time? Observe out.
Lima was in his second reign at 170 kilos when he met Andrey Koreshkov in 2015. The belt improved arms that evening, but a 12 months later on they had been back in the cage collectively and, in the third round of a back again-and-forth fight, Lima landed a counter remaining hook to knock Koreshkov out chilly and get again the title.
Virtually two years right after that, Lima and Koreshkov satisfied however yet again in the Bellator Welterweight Entire world Grand Prix. The struggle went to the fifth round, and Lima as soon as again concluded the Russian, this time rendering Koreshkov unconscious with a rear-naked choke.
Lima finished up in the ultimate of that event. His opponent was Rory MacDonald, who by then was in possession of the welterweight title soon after obtaining finished Lima’s reign by near selection in 2018. Their second meeting also went the distance, but this time Lima dominated MacDonald for five rounds to come to be a 3-time winner.
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And a three-time winner of Bellator rematches.
“You know a fighter a whole lot greater when you combat him a 2nd time,” explained Lima, a 33-yr-outdated Brazilian who has lived in the Atlanta area because he was a teen. “You know their strongest details and their weakest details. And, of course, you get to carry in new abilities that you’ve labored on considering the fact that the to start with battle. Rematches have long gone perfectly for me, and I hope to keep that going.”
Lima (32-9) will get a possibility to do so on Friday in the major function of Bellator 267, when he faces Michael “Venom” Site (19-1) for the 2nd time (Showtime, 1 p.m. ET)
There the moment once again is a redemption angle for Lima — but this time it has nothing at all to do with the struggle currently being a rematch. He won the first meeting with Web page two years ago as component of the Grand Prix, scoring a second-round knockout. But immediately after likely on to beat MacDonald in the finale to get back the title, he fell short in his bid to grow to be a two-division winner, getting rid of to middleweight king Gegard Mousasi. Then, in June, Lima dropped his welterweight belt to Yaroslav Amosov.
So now Lima is an ex-champ trying to replicate his overall performance from Site. And Web page, also, will be looking to copy his personal performance. Most of it, anyway.
Even though the Lima combat place the only blemish on Page’s occupation record, he does not watch it as a overall loss. “MVP” managed most of the initially round with his flashy hanging, and early in Round 2 he staggered Lima with a punch. It was his reckless approach to trying to complete the struggle that did Webpage in. As he was charging ahead, Page got clipped by a small kick that set him off stability, followed by a winging appropriate hand that finished his night.
Michael Website page (ideal) aims to get redemption for the only decline in his job when he faces Douglas Lima (remaining) in a rematch at Bellator 267. Jerry Lai/United states Currently Athletics
Webpage will take solace in how the combat played out.
“For me, the positive is that what went improper is some thing that I did terribly alternatively of a thing that he did perfectly,” Website page claimed. “It was kinda one particular-sided up until finally what took place occurred. Which is why I’m so self-confident likely back again in. It’s less difficult to correct issues that you did than it is to try and triumph over somebody that is just generally a far better athlete than you. So I am likely in there to establish what I currently know — that I am the far better fighter.”
The 34-12 months-previous London native will get to confirm that in entrance of his hometown enthusiasts, as Bellator 267 will be at a packed Wembley Arena. Webpage has fought in London a few situations in the course of his Bellator job and received them all by knockout.
“I’ve usually blown the roof off the place,” he mentioned, “and this just one is likely to be specifically that moments a hundred, simply because of the tale guiding the fight. The lovers had been guiding me when I lost, and now they will be right here to spur me towards getting redemption.”
Lima is unconcerned that the rematch is in his opponent’s backyard. The 1 time he competed in London, in 2016, he defeated a further well known Englishman, Paul Daley. “The English show me nothing at all but really like,” he mentioned. “I like the London crowd. They like fights.
“The cage is the similar in no matter what building it is,” he claimed. “The feeling is usually the exact same. I’ve got to be centered on my opponent, not on what is actually happening exterior the cage.”
And if Lima maintains his emphasis and is thriving in Friday’s rematch, he then will set his sights on what probably would be upcoming: yet another rematch.
“Amosov, for confident, that is what I want just after this,” Lima claimed. “1 seventy, that’s my body weight course. I’ve obtained to acquire this fight, then go immediately after the title. I am here to be a champion. I do not like the experience of not possessing a belt close to my waist.”
Spoken like a three-time champ.
Friday’s Bellator 267 struggle card
Showtime, 4 p.m. ET
Welterweight championship: Douglas Lima (c) vs. Michael Site
Women’s featherweight: Leah McCourt vs. Jessica Borga
Men’s featherweight: Robert Whiteford vs. Andrew Fisher
Light heavyweight: Luke Coach vs. Yannick Bahati
Light-weight: Yves Landu vs. Tim Wilde
YouTube channels of Bellator and Showtime, 1 p.m. ET
Welterweight: Lewis Long vs. Michael Dubois
Lightweight: Kane Mousah vs. Davy Gallon
Flyweight: Petra Castkova vs. Elina Kallionidou
Welterweight: Jack Grant vs. Nathan Jones
Men’s featherweight: Fabacary Diatta vs. Nathan Rose
Strawweight: Chiara Penco vs. Katharina Dalisda
Bantamweight: Khurshed Kakhorov vs. Jair Junior
(c) = defending champion
