Douglas Lima didn’t shy away from the biggest moment of his career at Bellator NYC. He leaned in and got the job done.

The reigning and defending welterweight champion met challenger Lorenz Larkin in the center of the cage at Madison Square Garden and let the hands and feet fly. The bout was figured by many to be an action-packed affair, and that’s precisely what Lima and Larkin delivered on the pay-per-view portion of the card.

The end result was the biggest victory of Lima’s career, and one that will put him on a higher level of respect and visibility around the sport.

“I couldn’t get the finish like I wanted, but man...That guy’s tough as nails, man,” Lima told FloCombat immediately following the fight. “That’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever fought. I got my baby back--I mean, still got it, didn’t go anywhere. Move on to the next now.

“I was under the radar too much. Not anymore, I hope not. Big stage, big opponent, that’s all I wanted. I wanted to show everybody what I could do. I know I can beat all these guys. Everybody above me, I know I can beat them all. And I’m getting better every day.”


And while both fighters had moments of success in the fight, it was Lima who enjoyed the lion’s share of them. Larkin found himself on the business end of several brutal exchanges, yet, while he was forced to pick himself off the canvas, the California native crossed the finish line to hear the final bell sound.

“It’s a war, man. Kicking exchanges [are] always going to hurt. Every one you land, every one you get kicked, it’s going to hurt. So, you know, I gotta get an x-ray. I’m sure it’s not broken, but it hurts a lot. Nose all busted up too, but it’s a war. That’s how we come out.

“I was very close in that second round when I got that knockdown, but I think I just rushed in too much. I should’ve picked the shots a little more or maybe have him get up right away. I would probably be able to put him out. But, man, he’s just a tough kid. He held on. I didn’t get the finish, but you know, we changed the whole tempo of the fight with that knockdown.”

Immediately following Lima’s win over Larkin in New York City, talk began to ramp up for a showdown between the Brazilian champion and Rory MacDonald. The former UFC title challenger is fresh off a victory over Paul Daley in his promotional debut, and will meet Lima inside the cage some time in the months to come.

Lima could not be happier and is stoked to have another high profile fight waiting in the wings.

“On to the next, I love it,” Lima said. “I love what Bellator is doing, bringing [in] all these guys. Big stage, that’s I want for my career. That’s all I need to get my name out there even more.”