Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Andrey Koreshkov knows Douglas Lima well enough to understand just how tough he is to beat twice.
Andrey Koreshkov expects Douglas Lima to make the necessary adjustments to beat Rory MacDonald in the finals of the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix.
Koreshkov has shared the cage with Lima for 13 rounds across three separate encounters. He took a unanimous decision over Lima in 2015 before losing the rematch by knockout in 2016. The two had their rubber match at Bellator 206 last year with Lima winning via technical submission. Speaking to Bloody Elbow ahead of Bellator 229, Koreshkov explained why he gives Lima the edge against MacDonald in a rematch.
“I think Douglas wins this fight and I think he finishes Rory. I think Douglas is better in the stand-up, which he shows. Him and his team are very good at correcting mistakes,” Koreshkov said. “He knows really well why he lost to Rory in their first fight. He will be very prepared for the takedowns and wrestling. He won’t let Rory take him down and he’ll beat him up standing.”
Koreshkov is scheduled to fight Lorenz Larkin in the main event of Bellator 229. Larkin is 2-2 in the Bellator cage, but Koreshkov is not taking anything away from the former UFC fighter. “When he [Larkin] just left the UFC and entered Bellator, he had this huge hype. Back then, fighting him would have been huge,” Koreshkov shared. “These two losses came out of very competitive fights and I don’t think they make him any less of a fighter. He is very dangerous, very well-rounded, powerful, fast and has great conditioning. He is still the same fighter he used to be. He is a threat to anyone who faces him.”
Bellator 229 takes place Oct. 4. The event takes place at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California. Bellator 232: MacDonald vs. Lima 2 is scheduled for Oct. 26.