Bellator 232: In his quest to become a three-time champion, Douglas Lima expects the best from Rory MacDonald

One of the most decorated fighters in Bellator history, Douglas Lima has managed to remain consistent through the years. A two-time Bellator Welterweight Champion, Lima (31-7) has been a part of three Grand Prix’s. He is hoping the third won will once again bring him good fortune.

At Bellator 232 inside the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT on October 26, Lima will look to even the odds against the man who beat him for the title in Rory MacDonald. The title isn’t the only thing ont the line, as he could win $1 million in the finals of the Welterweight Grand Prix.

The tournament is something Lima sees as a positive for Bellator.

“I would love to see more Grand Prix’s,” Lima stated during Bellator media day. “This is my third one with Bellator. The format where the best fighter wins just makes the most sense. The way it is right now, it is perfect. I had six months between fights, which is ideal for the situation we are put in. Before, every four weeks you had a fight, that was tough.”

After losing the Welterweight Title to MacDonald at Bellator 192, Lima was immediately put into the Grand Prix. He beat Andrey Koreshkov at Bellator 206 via technical submission in the quarterfinal bout. Lima advanced to the finals following a KO-win against Michael Page at Bellator 221.

Recently, MacDonald (21-5-1) has gone through a transformation. Finding religion, the once “Red King” isn’t as motivated as before to beat his opponents. He almost didn’t even make it through the rest of the Grand Prix following a draw against Jon Fitch.

Understanding what he is going through, Lima doesn’t believe MacDonald’s recent state of mind to be an issue heading into fight night.

“I expect the best out of MacDonald,” Lima continued. “He went through those changes, which at first may have seemed bad, but I think that’s great for him. I’m a Christian man myself, I’ve been through stuff like that before. It just does so much good for you. If his heart is in the right place and he wants to continue, let’s do it. I’ve trained for the best Rory ever. I’m ready for whatever he brings.”

If Lima was to beat MacDonald and win the Welterweight Title for the third time, a rematch is always on the table. If MacDonald doesn’t retire and if both men are healthy, the fight could be sooner rather than later. In case you missed it, Bellator will be heading to Japan to team up with RIZIN in December.

“I would love to fight in December,” Lima went on to say. “If no major injuries occur during this fight, it would be great to continue fighting. Maybe a rematch is possible, maybe another fight (against a different opponent) can happen. I will have to talk to Scott (Coker) after the fight to convince him.

The main card of Bellator 232 will be streaming live on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET.