Rory MacDonald had a busted up leg and face after his Bellator 192 welterweight title fight against Douglas Lima, but he still walked away the new champ.
Rory MacDonald won the Bellator welterweight title on Saturday, but he didn’t come out unscathed — far from it.
MacDonald, a former UFC title challenger who left the promotion in summer 2016 as a free agent, defeated Douglas Lima by unanimous decision for the championship in the Bellator 192 co-main event. The card took place at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
The Canadian won the bout mostly because of his control on the ground. He took Lima down several times throughout the five-round title affair, but that doesn’t mean he took little damage. When MacDonald and Lima were on their feet, Lima chopped down MacDonald’s leg with kicks — so much so that MacDonald finished the bout with a ridiculously swollen limb.
Take a look:
Rory’s leg. #Bellator192 pic.twitter.com/iSiLQaOi7b
— Cynthia Vance (@cynthiavance) January 21, 2018
MacDonald couldn’t walk by himself when he left the cage after his post-fight interview. He said immediately after the bout that Lima was the toughest opponent he has ever fought.
After the fight, “The Red King” posted a photo of him and his girlfriend that shows off his other battle scars.
“This is truly a dream come true, I set out on this martial arts journey when I was 14yrs old and without any doubt I know I wouldnt be here if it wasnt for the grace of Jesus Christ,” MacDonald wrote. “He humbled me to be ready to receive this belt. I give all the glory for this moment to Him, for my beautiful family, my friends and supporters.”
Lima also posted a reaction to his title defeat. He shared a classic hospital photo involving both competitors. Remind you of this?
“Pissed at myself but thankful to God for another battle,” Lima wrote. “@romac_gorilla you’re a warrior thank you! Can’t wait for the rematch! Thank you all for supporting! Thank you my team for an awesome camp! I will be back!”
Bellator 192 was headlined by a heavyweight Grand Prix bout between Chael Sonnen and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Sonnen won by unanimous decision and will meet the winner of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Frank Mir in the semifinals later this year.