Bellator Signs Former MFC Champion Lima

Bellator Fighting Championships on Monday took another step towards bolstering its welterweight roster, as it signed former Maximum Fighting Championship titleholder Douglas Lima (Pictured; file photo). Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney lauded the acquisition.

“Over the last two years, Douglas has taken his game to an entirely different level,” he said in a release. “Many considered him one of the top unsigned welterweights in MMA. I’m very happy to say that he’s no longer unsigned and that he will be fighting for Bellator. We continue to develop one of the strongest 170-pound divisions in the sport, and Douglas will be a fantastic addition to that.”

Lima, 23, has rattled off six consecutive victories. He last appeared at MFC 29 in April, when he needed little more than a minute to submit UFC veteran Terry Martin at The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. An explosive finisher, Lima has secured 16 of his 18 professional wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission. He trains out of an American Top Team affiliate in Atlanta.

“I just really want to finish all of my fights,” Lima said. “Every time I fight, I’m always looking for some way to finish. I don’t like leaving my fate in the hands of the judges. If we stand up, I’m going to try to knock my opponent’s head off, and if we go to the ground, I’m good there, too.”

Lima, who debuted at the age of 18 in 2006, owns other notable wins against muay Thai specialist Kyle Baker, Canadian prospect Ryan Ford and Shark Fights mainstay Eric Davila. He has already set his sights on Brent Weedman, a Bellator Season 4 welterweight tournament semifinalist who submitted him three years ago.

“I definitely want to get that loss back,” Lima said. “I was very young when I fought him. He’s a cool guy, but I wouldn’t mind getting back inside the cage with him to get that one back.”