Douglas Lima Will Absolutely Target Rory MacDonald’s Damaged Nose at Bellator 192

Douglas Lima wants to stay on target for his fight against Rory MacDonald at Bellator 192 on Saturday night.

The two-time defending welterweight champion has become one of the best and most dangerous strikers in the sport while recording several knockouts during his career and hopes to add MacDonald’s name to his resume this weekend.

Now MacDonald is no stranger to the striking arts either, but he’s also engaged in some epic battles throughout his career that have left the 28-year old Canadian with more than a few battle scars.

Perhaps the one that’s most notable is a severely broken nose that stopped MacDonald in his 2015 UFC title fight against Robbie Lawler and then suffering through another setback when he faced Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson almost a year later.

MacDonald took time off after that fight to heal properly but it’s common knowledge that once a nose is broken, it never quite recovers to the same strength as before. That’s why Lima will be the first to admit that he’ll be aiming directly for MacDonald’s nose with every punch when they clash on Saturday night.

“At some point over 25 minutes, he’s going to have to take those shots and I’m definitely curious to see how he handles it and how he’s going to react to that,” Lima said in an exclusive interview ahead of the event. “I’m throwing everything with bad intentions. I’m going to try to finish him every second of the fight. I don’t want this fight to go to a decision.

“I want to make a statement and I want to take his head off. Let’s see if his nose has healed up. I’m definitely going to aim for that.”

In the lead up to their fight, MacDonald has addressed quite a few subjects including his desire to become a multi-weight world champion with an aim to conquer the middleweight division and he even floated the possibility of entering the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix as an alternate.

Now that isn’t going to happen but the fact that MacDonald seems so consumed by what comes next rather than keeping his eyes on the prize makes Lima wonder if the former UFC title contender isn’t trying to sit on the throne long before he’s been crowned as champion.

“If not [focused] he’s going to have to find out come Jan. 20,” Lima said. “People can say whatever they want, but it’s about doing it. I don’t think he will ever get in the heavyweight tournament. I think he’s just saying stuff. I don’t know what’s going on in his mind but he’s got a much tougher challenge in me. That should be his focus. He’s just talking.

“I’m sure he’s very focused on this fight. It’s not going to be an easy one for him and he knows that.”