Rory MacDonald News

Chris Taylor - January 21, 2018

Douglas Lima and Rory MacDonald issue statements following their war at Bellator 192. Rory MacDonald and Douglas Lima went to war in the co-headliner of last night’s Bellator 192 event.

Tom Taylor - January 20, 2018

Last night, in the co-main event of Bellator 192, Rory MacDonald finally stepped into the cage with Douglas Lima to battle for the Bellator welterweight title. Though Lima nearly chopped MacDonald’s leg off with a brutal onslaught of calf-kicks, the Canadian ultimately came out on top, winning the Bellator welterweight strap with a competitive unanimous decision victory. Here’s how the MMA community (and a few others) reacted to Rory MacDonald’s title-winning defeat of Douglas Lima.

Tom Taylor - January 20, 2018

While UFC 220 is dominating the attention of most MMA fans tonight, Bellator is also back in action, promoting one of its best shows to date in Bellator 192. In the co-main event of this stacked card, Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima attempted to defend his title against his fiercest adversary to date: former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory MacDonald.  Round one began with MacDonald controlling the distance, backing the champion up with jabs and a head-kick. Midway through the first round the Canadian completed a takedown. From there, he sat in Lima’s guard, raining down ground-and-pound, but eating a few shots from the bottom in the process. Eventually, the referee stood the pair up with 10 seconds left in the round, but both survived to the bell.

Justin Golightly - January 19, 2018

There are some huge fights tomorrow. Two giant title fights are perched atop UFC 220 which goes down in Boston, but Bellator’s title fight is just as big. Former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory MacDonald gets his shot at Bellator gold against belt-holder Douglas Lima. MacDonald has a chance to accomplish something he was never able to pull off in the UFC, but Lima is there to try and stop him every step of the way. Even if that means targeting a body part that has caused him problems since 2015’s Fight of the Year against Robbie Lawler. “At some point over 25 minutes, [Rory MacDonald]’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. 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.”

Drake Riggs - January 17, 2018

“I’m disappointed, what can I say? Every time you fight for a world championship fighters take pride…it’s a special moment to be a main event for a world title fight. It’s an unfortunate part of it, but I’m not going to let it take my focus away from what my job is and getting that title. It was totally out of the blue. I didn’t see it coming. I found out through an interview. I didn’t even find out from anyone from Bellator or anything like that so it was a total shocker,” said the challenger.

Justin Golightly - January 11, 2018

Potentially the biggest fight in Bellator history is just nine days away. Former UFC welterweight title challenger and infamous violence deity Rory MacDonald will challenge Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima next Saturday at Bellator 192. Always in the shadow of the UFC, Lima is looking to come out on the lighter side of an organizational eclipse by beating one of the absolute best in the world. Whether you believe in the rankings or not, the numbers don’t even need to be beside the names to understand that this is a fight to determine the elite of the elite in the division. “I’d love to think [the winner is No. 1 in the world] – I think Rory [MacDonald]’s been on the top for a long time. He beat the guy [Tyron Woodley] who is supposedly the No. 1 right now – he beat him before. So he can be considered the No. 1, and I’ll take that spot when I beat him next Saturday, for sure. I’m honestly not even thinking about that. I’m just focused on the fight. I don’t really care much about rankings. There’s always going to be someone saying something like, ‘He doesn’t deserve to be No. 1.’ So, I’m not really focusing on that.”

Justin Golightly - January 5, 2018

In just two weeks, one of the biggest fights in Bellator history will go down to determine if Douglas Lima keeps his welterweight title, or if UFC transplant Rory MacDonald fulfills capturing the hold that alluded him in his previous organization. As the bell time draws closer and closer, MacDonald revealed some of the violent plans he has in mind for not just Lima, but for Bellator itself. Douglas Limas, who thinks MacDonald is a little too overconfident, has his own plans of proving he’s one of the very best in the world whether he’s in the UFC or not. “It’s the fight I wanted. [Rory MacDonald]’s a tough guy but no big deal. To me, he’s an opponent like any other. He’s got his strengths. He’s been in many wars, but after the first hand lands, he’ll change his plan, for sure. He’s very sure of himself. He’s saying he’s one step ahead of everyone in the division, right? But let him be. He’s very confident, and that will change as soon as the first hand connects.”

Justin Golightly - January 5, 2018

There’s an unofficial ‘Most Violent’ title going around the UFC, but it feels wrong to have that in contention when Rory MacDonald is in Bellator. One of the top welterweights in the world enjoys fighting so much, he even welcomes a defeat, as long as it is bloody and brutal. You have to have a very special brain to call what happened in the fight with Robbie Lawler one of the best moments of your life. That’s just how MacDonald is, he is a killer. It’s that type of mindset that the cerebral assassin is looking to release once again in the Bellator cage. This time though, it’s for a title. “Getting to beat someone up and to unleash what’s inside of me, that’s what I like. That’s what gets me up and excited. Look at what I did to Paul [Daley] and look at the fight [Douglas Lima] had with Paul. I do feel that Douglas is better on the ground, so when we get there I feel like I’m going to be able to showcase my found and pound more and my jiu-jitsu a lot more than I did against Paul. Where it was me just schooling Paul, I think it’s going to be more of a battle.”

Tom Taylor - November 28, 2017

Former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory MacDonald and former Strikeforce light heavyweight champ Gegard Mousasi stand out as two of the best fighters currently competing under the Bellator MMA banner. Given that they’re now fighting just a weight class apart, there has ample discussion surrounding a potential fight between them. Speaking on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Mousasi gave his thoughts on MacDonald, and on a potential super-fight with him. Apparently, that’s a discussion that can wait for now.

Tom Taylor - November 20, 2017

Earlier this month, Bellator MMA announced a plan to fill its vacant heavyweight throne: a star-studded heavyweight grand prix. The competitors in this anticipated tournament are as follows: Frank Mir, Fedor Emelianenko, Roy Nelson, Matt Mitrione, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Ryan Bader, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Chael Sonnen. While this list includes many of Bellator’s biggest names, there is one Bellator star that didn’t make the cut: upcoming welterweight title challenger Rory MacDonald. Though MacDonald would be grossly undersized against fighters like Sonnen and Bader, and outright dwarfed by fighters like Mir and Mitrione, he’s apparently keen on joining the tournament all the same. From the sounds of it, he would be willing to join the mayhem as an alternate.

Chris Taylor - October 20, 2017

Gegard Mousasi made his Bellator MMA debut this evening fighting veteran Alexander Shlemenko in the main event of Bellator 185. The top ranked middleweight, Mousasi, had a very solid opening round but was rocked by one overhand left from Alexander which resulted in his right eye swelling closed.

Justin Golightly - October 17, 2017

Rory MacDonald has moved on from the UFC and has set his sites on Bellator gold. In January, he’ll take on their welterweight champion Douglas Lima in January. Both fighters sat down and were asked questions ahead of their encounter about a wide variety of subjects. Asking fighters about what they’d do during a zombie apocalypse is a welcome change from the same questions they get every week. One MMA subject they talked about were which strikes they would make legal blows in the cage. “I think I would allow every elbow. Like, every type the way you throw. I think that would be a good thing. Because if you’re throwing like this or like this I don’t think it changes anything. So, elbows should be legal however you throw it — from up, down — I don’t think it changes anything.” — Douglas Lima to MMA Fighting. 

Tom Taylor - October 1, 2017

On January 20, Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima will attempt to defend his crown opposite former UFC star Rory MacDonald. While this might just be the toughest test of Lima’s already impressive career, he’s got a bold prediction for how it all goes down. “I’ve been in Bellator for a long time. At the end of the day it’s just a fight. I don’t care what he’s done. I don’t care where he’s been. He’s coming there to fight me. That’s what the important thing is for me,” Lima said on the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show. “I’m going to finish this guy; I’m going to knock him out. That’s my goal for this fight. I’m going to put him away and show everybody that I’m here for a reason, that I’m champion for a reason. It doesn’t matter who it is. I don’t care what he’s done in the past. He’s gonna face me and he’s going down.”

Justin Golightly - September 30, 2017

One of the best welterweights in the world now resides in Bellator, where he is about to challenge for the welterweight title. He’s not just content with earning the belt that alluded him in the UFC, he has aspirations of an unprecedented triple crown title in by taking belts in three divisions. Still, his infamous fight with Robbie Lawler will always follow him. Earlier this month, he accused Lawler of being on performance enhancing drugs during their fight. Recently, he’s opened up more about his accusation. “I’m convinced he was. He never slowed down. I would hurt [Robbie Lawler] and his output was high, high, high and he never really lost power and endurance. He just kept the pace and kept the power no matter how hurt or tired he was. He always was recovered very fast. It made me very suspicious. Obviously, I think Robbie is a tank of a person. He’s got that fire and that will and the rage and that anger in him that burns and pushes him through those hard moments. He’s an absolute warrior. I’m not disagreeing with that. But I do believe he was taking some sh-t.”

Russell Ess - September 29, 2017

Former UFC welterweight kingpin Georges St-Pierre is set to make his return to the Octagon after being away from competition for nearly four years. “Rush” will be going up a weight class from the 170-pound welterweight limit up to the 185-pound middleweight division and take on current UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping for his title.

Justin Golightly - September 27, 2017

Just a week ago, Bellator announced that recent UFC transplant Rory MacDonald would challenge Douglas Lima for the welterweight title early next year. A win would not only help MacDonald achieve something he was never able to in the UFC, but serve as the first step the journey he sees in his mind’s eye. It’s a quest for not just one gold belt, not even two, but three Bellator titles. “I’d go for three. I’d fight [Ryan] Bader. [Welterweight]’s gonna’ be my home. That’s where I fit. I’m not a massive guy. I’d be a small middleweight, it would be a joke to see me at light heavyweight, but I still think I beat them. I think they’re not getting too far ahead of themselves, but I’ve brought it up to [Bellator]. They know my intentions and stuff.”

Tom Taylor - September 24, 2017

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Russell Ess - September 20, 2017

On Wednesday, Bellator announced that former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory MacDonald will have his first chance to fight for a Bellator title on January 20 at The Forum in California. MacDonald will challenge Bellator MMA welterweight champion Douglas Lima. The two fighters didn’t take long to interact on Twitter following the announcement of their fight.