MacDonald vs Lima in Bellator welterweight final

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Six fights and nearly 13 months after it began, the Bellator welterweight grand prix will reach its conclusion Saturday night.

In the Bellator 232 main event, 170pound champion Rory MacDonald and Douglas Lima will face off in their final test of the tournament. Not only will the winner walk away with the title belt but also a $1 million grand prize.

The final marks the third bout of the eight-man tournament for both fighters. MacDonald, who has retained his title throughout the competition, got by a tough first-round fight in April before a smooth unanimous decision in the semifinals in June.

“I feel great – better than ever,” MacDonald told USA TODAY Sports. “(I’m) super excited to go show the best version of myself. … It’s a motivating situation. The rematch with Douglas is motivating, obviously the $1 million, and the tournament. Everything is just great. I’m just super blessed and thankful for this opportunity.”

As for Lima (31-7), the former champion veteran didn’t need the judges for either of his first two tournament fights, submitting Andrey Koreshkov in September 2018 and knocking out Michael Page in May.

The tournament final is a chance at revenge against MacDonald (21-5-1), who took the title from Lima in a hardfought unanimous decision in January 2018.

“For me, every fight is the biggest, and this one is no different, you know,” Lima said. “There’s too much on the line right now. We’ve got both belts, we’ve got the rematch that I’ve been looking for, we’ve got the money. So many things at stake right here that kind of puts some extra pressure, but I’m just making the most out of it.”

Also on tap for Saturday’s event is a welterweight co-headliner between fan favorites Paul Daley and Saad Awad. Daley participated in the grand prix but was eliminated by Page in February.

Bellator 232 is the second leg of a two-night doubleheader for the promotion at Mohegan Sun Arena. Bellator 231, headlined by a heavyweight rematch between former UFC champion Frank Mir and Roy Nelson, headlines Friday’s card that also features the return of former WWE star Jake Hager.

Bellator 231 will air on Paramount; Bellator 232 will stream on DAZN.