VIDEO | Rory MacDonald and champ Douglas Lima have first staredown at Bellator 183

Last night, Bellator MMA returned to sun-soaked San Jose, California with Bellator 183.

The card was headlined by a razor-close lightweight scrap between long-time contender Patricky “Pitbull” Freire and former UFC and WEC champ Benson Henderson. The co-main event, meanwhile, saw Paul Daley score a thunderous KO over former top-10 UFC welterweight Lorenz Larkin. Other highlights of the card, finally, included the successful Bellator debut of Roy Nelson, who took out Javy Ayala, and the first MMA win of Aaron Pico.

Without a doubt, however, one of the most memorable moments of the night occurred when welterweight champion Douglas Lima had his first staredown with his next opponent, former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory MacDonald.

Watch Lima and MacDonald’s face-off above, and enjoy some trash talk from both sides – MacDonald’s being particularly ominous.

Rory MacDonald will enter this fight having recently made a successful Bellator debut by choking out Paul Daley in May. This win separated him from consecutive losses to top UFC welterweights Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Robbie Lawler.

Lima, meanwhile, last fought in June when he defended his title with a decision win over Lorenz Larkin . This win was preceded by a knockout of Andrey Koreshkov, which earned him the welterweight crown, and a decision defeat over Paul Daley.

Douglas Lima and Rory MacDonald will share the cage on January 20, inside the forum in Los Angeles. The promotion announced this bout earlier this week. Do you think Rory MacDonald will capture Bellator gold in this fight, or will Douglas Lima pick up yet another big win over a UFC vet?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 9/24/2017.