Issue 187

January 2020

Having banked a seven-figure check and regained his world title, life is sweet for Douglas Lima right now, but the fighter won’t let it go to his head. “Fame or money, that can’t change me,” he tells Fighters Only.

There was a deep, honest outpouring from Douglas Lima just days before heading into his rematch with Rory MacDonald. It said so much about the man, and the fighter within. His timing is impeccable. The Canadian had taken his Bellator welterweight crown, and scarred the Brazilian’s fighting pride 21 months earlier. Lima knew that the upcoming Saturday night, in Connecticut, late in October just happened to be the biggest night of his fighting life. Bar none. Nothing would do for ‘The Phenom’ other than a bold line drawn through MacDonald’s name, his powerful lower legs kicks razored through the Canadian’s pins, his heavy fists and broad elbows through his face. Redemption. With the world watching...

Forget the million bucks, or even the welterweight belt being dangled before him in the Bellator Tournament Grand Prix final. It was more meaningful than the material things fighters need, and must have. Lima needed vengeance. Peace for his own fighting psyche, knowing that he had grasped defeat from the jaws of victory the first time around when they met at The Forum, in Inglewood, early in 2018, when he was scragged by the collar by the Canadian, losing a fight he knew all along he was winning, and indeed, should have won. 

Lima knew this time around he had the momentum, the mentality, to reverse roles and turn Nemesis over his fearsome foe. Lima admitted that there were thoughts of that fight 600 days earlier every morning. It hurt him inside, and now he was prepared to hurt MacDonald. “I thought about that fight every day. I watched the fight just one time. I didn’t want to watch it. There were a lot of mistakes in there that I can’t believe I made. It doesn’t feel right watching it,” Lima had told me. It bothered him, irked him, smothered that fighter’s psyche of his, almost embarrassing him inside. 

“But I needed to lose that fight to learn. I made that stupid mistake and he got me down. I learned so much from that fight, mentally and training-wise. Everything got so much better. I’m very thankful for that, though it hurts. It’s a big loss that night but I gained a lot from him. I’ve got a chance to erase everything and stop thinking about that loss.”

On October 26, at the Mohegan Sun Resort, in Connecticut, Lima put the record straight with aplomb, with a dominance that made MacDonald look gun-shy. Lima banked the $1 million prize money, regained the belt, became Bellator’s three-time welterweight champion, but more than anything, he mastered MacDonald over five rounds, the booing that accompanied parts of it irritating him, but also soothing the fact that the terror in Rory was unable to break through the barriers Lima created in the contest. He felt complete. “It feels amazing,” Lima told Fighters Only after victory, now a three-time champion. 

“I’ve been waiting for it for a while, but it’s all worth it in the end. There are no big celebrations right now. My kids are in school, so I can’t be out of town. I wanted to be on the beach, because it’s super cold here in Atlanta. But Christmas is coming and Thanksgiving too, so there’s lots to do.” 

The second fight with MacDonald is still fresh, so crisp in the memory that he has not felt the need to re-watch it. “I haven’t watched it yet, but I will. I remember most of it. The main thing going into that fight was the mental battle. If I wasn’t scared of getting tired in the first fight, I wouldn’t have lost it. He took me down because I didn’t fight. I didn’t try to stop him. That’s what happened this time. I was ready and I wouldn’t let him take me down. I fought him. That last round he timed it right, but I reversed it. I was ready to leave everything in the cage this time round. My mentality was really strong going into it. I was very confident. There was some crazy stuff that happened in camp, but I showed I was the better fighter. I was happy with the win. It wasn’t the most exciting fight because of his game plan. He was moving a lot and it was hard to engage. But we got the win, a decisive win. I’m moving on to the next one now.” 

Suggesting to Lima that it was a dominant display, he responded: “I felt I was in control of the fight. The only thing is the crowd was booing. If there’s not a lot of action, or blood, the crowd will boo. That gets to me sometimes. It was very technical. Every round I heard booing. It wasn’t my fault, I was looking to fight, but he was being smart. He knew how badly he got hurt the first time around. Hats off to him, because his game plan was great. I was able to stay ahead, but he did stop most of the leg kicks. He didn’t stop moving for a minute. That helped him but it also made the fight the way it was. Believe me, I really wanted to have ‘a fight’. I really don’t like it when they boo.”

There are wider issues to discuss with Lima, too, like his standing globally in the division, his desire to go up in weight (Lima, incidentally, is a huge man for a welterweight), the gym he and his UFC-signed brother Dhiego are building, and the pleasure he has taken, now in the prime of his fighting life aged 31, in staying loyal with Bellator over eight years and seventeen fights. 

There is also his unerring ability to move smoothly through life, and switch to being a killer in the cage.  

The debate can rage over whether Lima is the No.1 welterweight on the planet. There is no doubting his solidity as a fighter, his composure, and his incredible calmness under pressure. “I consider myself to be the number one welterweight in the world, especially after a win like this. I see they are recognizing me right now and it’s been coming. It’s been a long time to have me in the pound-for-pound conversation. I definitely think it’s getting better. ESPN had me at three or four, but I really feel I can beat any of those guys. I am 100 percent sure I can beat Kamaru Usman. I see the respect; people are finally putting me in those conversations. I can beat anyone in the world.”

How does Lima view the summit of the division? “Out of all of those guys, Usman and Covington would be the toughest because of the wrestling and pace they bring. But like with Rory, if I’m there 100 percent mentally and can fight those takedowns, then that’s it, I’ll beat them. I land some good shots and they’ll change their mind about coming forward. It’s all about the right game plan and preparation. I only have to be ready and believe. I don’t see anything crazy in them that I would have trouble with. They’re just fighters. I don’t see anything difficult in them, it’s just another fight that I am 100 percent confident I can win.”

Lima would leap in a heartbeat to fight the UFC champion. “If it was up to Bellator, we would fight. But the UFC has just got so big that they want to be in control of everything,” reasoned Lima. “That’s why they don’t make fights like that happen. It’s the risk. Imagine if I go there and beat their champion? I think people would see that the UFC don’t have the best fighters. It would degrade the UFC. They won’t take that risk. I don’t think there would be any difference, really. They’d still be the biggest organization and respect to them with how they’ve grown the sport. But come on, fighters make the sport. Those fights should happen and this would be the perfect time to happen. But I’m not them and I can’t make it happen.”

He will be staying put in Bellator, staying loyal. “It has worked out great for me,” he reflected. “Another great thing about Scott Coker is he understands the fighter’s mentality. I’m thankful for them. Bellator took care of me all this time. I’m not complaining. Financially everything is getting a lot better, especially after this tournament. I’ve got no regrets. I’m here in Bellator and people are talking about me as the best fighter in the world. What else can I complain about? There’s the casuals who think if you’re not in the UFC you aren’t a top fighter. But man, I don’t lose any sleep over their opinions. If they want to make the fight happen, I’ll prove it to them.”

There is an element of Jekyll and Hyde about Lima, too, and a clear separation between the fighter and the man, as anyone who knows the Brazilian would agree too. He is barely aware of it, as he switches between family man and skilled exponent of martial arts. 

“I don’t think about it,” he explained. “All I know is I definitely want to be the nice guy outside the cage, but I also want to be the best guy when I step in the cage. In both worlds, I try to be the best I can. Outside, it’s just being nice, helping people, and being a good human being. Sometimes it takes something special to turn that switch and go in there and perform as best as I can. I don’t know if many people can do it, flip the switch like that. It’s pretty much like an actor in a movie, they can flip the switch and turn into somebody else. I’m not trying to turn into someone else, I’m trying to be me. It does take a little bit of violence inside the cage (he laughs darkly at this...). But outside of the cage, I want to be the best person. It’s good to have that switch and I’m glad I can do it.’

The change he has to make never shocks him, even in quiet moments of reflection. “Not really. It’s just something so natural for me. I feel like I’m just doing a job and I’m meant to do it. I’ve always felt pretty decent at this, since the first day I stepped in the gym. I knew I could do it as a job. I enjoy it. I enjoy the sacrifices too. There’s so much that goes into a fight, but at the end of the day when you win a fight you can look back at what you’ve done to get there and it’s very satisfying. I just love it.”

These thoughts were reflected in what Lima said both about and to MacDonald after their fight, and he understood the Canadian’s complex thoughts on fighting and Christianity.

“I’m a Christian myself and I understand what he was feeling. It changes you so much. I felt that before and I feel the peace he was feeling. He said it after the fight, he lost but he was good,” reflected Lima. “He was happy he lost to someone like myself who has faith. He’s changed. I don’t think it’ll make him a lesser fighter. He was so strong and so good in our fight. People can’t count him out. I really believe he’s got a long time left in this sport. I’m happy for him and the decision he made, he’s got a beautiful family. I know how it feels, I’ve been down the same road. I’m still on that road. It’s peaceful. You can still be happy when you’re down.”

Lima had a few words – deep ones – for MacDonald in his changing room post-fight, he revealed. “I told him to stay strong with his faith, because that’s the biggest difference. He said he would. He seems like a really nice guy. I was happy for him. It’s a good rivalry and I wish him nothing but the best. It was little small talk and we’ve never really spoken at length, but I could tell he’s changed. That makes me happy to see someone change like that.”

To understand all these things in Lima, is to go back in time, to him growing up in Brazil, where the thought of fighting in the street put fear into him. Remarkably, it even does so today. 

“With Dhiego, we never really fought or anything. There’s not been any punching in the face. We had regular sibling fights, nothing crazy. There were words and pushing, but I don’t recall ever having a fight with him. Outside of the family, I was the most scared kid around. If there was a fight breaking out, I’d be the first to run. I was terrified by it. In the streets, I’m still scared of it. Even though I could probably beat 99 percent of people in any street fight, it still scares me. Nothing good comes out of that. The only fighting I did before I came to America was when I’d get beat up in school. In third grade, some big guy beat the crap out of me. I grabbed his girlfriend’s hand or something… or she grabbed my hand! He was mad and jumped me. I could still fight back then. I could throw some kicks and hands. I knew the guy knew a lot of scarier guys so I couldn’t fight back. I could have put up a good fight, but I was too scared of him. I took it like a man and walked away. I was strong and I could kick hard. I played soccer growing up and I knew I could kick hard but I was just so scared.”

Things changed when the family moved to America, where his father Fausto, a builder, sought work. “He was very hard-working and he always wanted a better life for us. He wanted us to be good. He knew a guy who came to America and he told him all about the better opportunities (in construction) and how much more money he’d make. He made up his mind, went to the consulate, and got his visa. Mom and Dad moved back ten years ago and the goal is to have them move back here again (to Atlanta) by the end of the year.”

“Building is his thing. He does everything. He can do anything, and he’s a mechanic too. He still works like he’s a young guy. I tell him to chill out, but he never stops.” 

You sense the same will be the case with Lima, too, when he is asked to slow down.

But right now, Lima feels in the prime of his career, 31 years old, and with a resume of 39 fights, the last three years all at elite level. 

“I feel the older I get, the better I am. I guess it’s because as I get older I get more experience. I’m a lot smarter. Now I realize what people say when they talk about mentality. I think I’m hitting my prime right now. I can’t wait for the next five years and see where this takes me. I want to compete as much as I can. I want to enjoy this time, my family and this health. I can’t wait to get back in the cage.”

Important that, the next opponent. Victories over MacDonald, Paul Daley, Lorenz Larkin and Andrey Koreshkov have arguably propelled him to new pastures. “I’ve pretty much fought everyone. I know Scott Coker, the president of Bellator, mentioned Larkin, but he’s got a fight in Japan in December. I don’t have anybody in mind. I’m really thinking about moving up, super-fights, stuff like that. I still have to sit down with my manager and Coker. I’m definitely looking for big fights. As far as defending, whoever they give me I’ll fight.”

Moving up to middleweight shifts the focus to the likes of Gegard Mousasi and Rafael Lovato Jr, the incumbent champion at 185 pounds. “They are very interesting fights. Especially because Mousasi is saying he might drop to 170 pounds. He beat Rory. I don’t know what’s in his mind now. But that’s a goal for me, to fight high-caliber fighters like Mousasi. I went to his gym and they treated me great. It’s not really a call-out. I just want the big fights. Mousasi, who doesn’t know him? He’s got over 50 fights. Everyone respects him, including myself. That could be huge.”

Having discussed what it meant to avenge defeat at Bellator 232, how does it feel to have the belt again – and even the $1 million banked? “It feels amazing. After the fight, I felt so much weight off my shoulders. I’m never really too nervous before a fight, maybe I just tell myself that, because I felt so much better after I’d won. I felt lighter. Even coming back to training the week after, I felt so much stronger and I felt my cardio was better even though I’d eaten bad the whole week. Even if I don’t feel it, it is there. Financially wise, I always pray nothing will change me. Fame or money, that can’t change me. That’s how I feel now. I’m still the same person, living in the same house. Of course, improvements will come down the line, but as of right now, it was just another fight. The best feeling is having the belt and being called the champion again. The main goal for me is to stay champion.”

While Bellator decides the next move for Lima, he will go about building a new gym with his brother. A nest egg for the future, an office for the physical life he has chosen, and which will endure. “We’ve got this little project we’re working on. Actually, it’s keeping me busy. It happened fast, right before my last fight, that we started doing it. I’m still in the gym, getting my hands better and doing some wrestling. I’m always training, but we love teaching and working with up-and-coming fighters. We’ve definitely got to invest in something for the future. We’ve got five kids between us. We’ve got families to feed. There’s always the future. It’ll be a good thing for sure.”

Few fighters are as modest as Lima, and typically, the legacy he would choose to leave is that he did not need to trash-talk his rivals. “I want to be remembered as a fighter who fought the best and beat the best. Someone who didn’t have to talk smack to sell a fight or sell out. I really want to be myself. I want fighters to know they can be themselves. Be the best version of yourself. You can be a nice person and still be a world champion. You can leave something good behind. I don’t want to look back on bad choices. I want to affect people’s lives in a good way. If that can change one guy, that’s good enough for me.” Wise, faultless words, like that last performance.

But there is one other thing that Douglas Lima reminds me of, and it involves his homeland, Brazil. Lima would love the legacy of headlining the first Bellator in Brazil. “I’ve been telling them. That needs to happen in 2020. I’ve got a lot of fans asking. It’s my dream to fight there. We’ve got so many Brazilians in Bellator. (Patricio) Pitbull, (Lyoto) Machida – we could make a huge card in Brazil. It would be crazy. It’s time to go there.” And timing, as Douglas Lima has discovered on his journey as a modern gladiator, is everything.