Initially scheduled to meet at Bellator 242 in May – a middleweight clash between former division gold holder, Gegard Mousasi, and current welterweight champion, Douglas Lima will take headlining honours on October 29 at Bellator 250 – with the victor crowned the new undisputed king of the middleweights.
Following the sudden vacating of incumbent champion, Rafael Lovato Jr. earlier this year, the promotion noted plans for Mousasi and Lima to meet, and determine the next undisputed champion. Announced for a May event, the pairing, and subsequently, the entire event was shelved amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Since losing his middleweight crown to Lovato Jr. at Bellator 223 in June of last year in London – Mousasi has returned to winning ways in a high-stakes rematch. Pitted with fellow UFC alum, former light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida – the Iran born finisher exacted revenge on a 2014 defeat – in a close split judging win.
Streaking through his welterweight peers on route to his third reign as division kingpin, Brazilian icon, Lima claimed the 170-pound title from Rory MacDonald in a re-run at Bellator 232 in October last. MacDonald has since inked terms on a deal with PFL, with Lima securing his third consecutive victory when paired with the Canadian.
As decorated a professional mixed martial artist as you’re likely to find – knockout and submission maestro, Mousasi has nabbed a shed load of gold over his career, including Bellator, Strikeforce, DREAM, and Cage Warriors crowns.
In eye-catching career wins from a remarkable forty-six successes, Mousasi has overcome, Héctor Lombard, Evangelista Santos, Melvin Manhoef, Jacaré Souza, Mark Hunt, Mark Muñoz, Dan Henderson, Vitor Belfort, Chris Weidman, and common opponent, MacDonald to name a few.
With fourteen knockouts and twelve submission wins tacked on his eye-catching résumé, Brazilian force, Lima has trice been crowned king of the welterweights since his Bellator debut back in September 2011. In notable finishes, Lima has stopped, Michael ‘Venom’ Page, Andrey Koreshkov (x2), Rick Hawn, Ben Saunders (x2), to go with his decision win over former Octagon features, Lorenz Larkin, and Paul Daley.