Lima, the reigning Bellator welterweight champion, was forced out of his first title defense against the UFC and Strikeforce veteran after suffering a knee injury, and will be replaced by fellow Brazilian Andre Santos at Bellator 134 on Feb. 27.
“It sucks, man,” Lima told MMAFighting.com. “I already had a knee injury for a while, I was in pain during my training camp, but I was going to fight anyway. However, I visited another doctor and we did a MRI, and I will need to undergo surgery and will only come be able to back to training in six weeks. I had a scar tissue, so he had to flush it out. My knee was very swollen because of that.”
Daley vs. Santos co-headlines Bellator 134 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and Lima hopes “Semtex” comes out victorious so they can finally fight later this year.
“I hope he wins, I still want to fight him,” he said. “I want to fight soon as possible, but I think maybe April or May.”
Lima hasn’t fought since a TKO victory over Rick Hawn in April, which earned him the vacant title. The American Top Team product is 8-1 under the Bellator banner.
Lima, the reigning Bellator welterweight champion, was forced out of his first title defense against the UFC and Strikeforce veteran after suffering a knee injury, and will be replaced by fellow Brazilian Andre Santos at Bellator 134 on Feb. 27.
“It sucks, man,” Lima told MMAFighting.com. “I already had a knee injury for a while, I was in pain during my training camp, but I was going to fight anyway. However, I visited another doctor and we did a MRI, and I will need to undergo surgery and will only come be able to back to training in six weeks. I had a scar tissue, so he had to flush it out. My knee was very swollen because of that.”
Daley vs. Santos co-headlines Bellator 134 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and Lima hopes “Semtex” comes out victorious so they can finally fight later this year.
“I hope he wins, I still want to fight him,” he said. “I want to fight soon as possible, but I think maybe April or May.”
Lima hasn’t fought since a TKO victory over Rick Hawn in April, which earned him the vacant title. The American Top Team product is 8-1 under the Bellator banner.
