Reigning Bellator MMA champions Douglas Lima and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane are staying put.
The promotion announced recently that both reigning titleholders have signed to multi-year, multi-fight extensions with the ViacomCBS-owned promotion.
Lima (32-7) holds the welterweight title while Macfarlane (11-0) is the women’s flyweight champion.
“Both Douglas Lima and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane continue to prove they are two of the most dominant fighters on the Bellator roster,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “They made their Bellator debuts very early on in their careers, have climbed to the top of their respective divisions and have come to represent what this promotion is all about.
“As champions, both have taken on all challenges and have succeeded in every opportunity. I look forward to watching them continue their careers with us.”
Lima, Macfarlane Staying Put For Time Being
Hailing from Goiania, Brazil and now fighting out of Atlanta, Georgia, the 32-year-old Lima most recently handled Rory MacDonald in a rematch – a Welterweight World Grand Prix final matchup that saw Lima leave as a world champion with a $1 million prize.
Since making his promotional debut in 2011, “The Phenom” has earned 14 victories, including a trio of world titles and 10 finishes. The American Top Team-product is one of the most dominant fighters in the 170-pound division.
Among his 26 career finishes includes wins over Andrey Koreshkov and Michael Page. Lima, who bested both in the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix, is now targeting the middleweight division.
Douglas Lima: Bellator Welterweight Champion
Born and raised in Honolulu, the inaugural Bellator flyweight champ Macfarlane made her pro debut in 2015 with a KO victory that went viral and has not looked back since. She remains unbeaten in her young career.
With impressive victories over Valerie Letourneau and Veta Arteaga, Macfarlane was the focal point of Bellator’s debut in Hawaii last year. She returned to Hawaii with a submission win over Kate Jackson this past December.
A proud graduate of Honolulu’s Punahou High School in 2009, Macfarlane later attended San Diego State University, where she would go on to earn her Master’s degree in liberal arts and science with a focus on indigenous issues – a subject she remains passionate about, recently launching “The Ilimanator Scholarship” for indigenous girls.