Bellator MMA Signs Douglas Lima & Ilima-Lei Macfarlane To Contract Extensions
Two of the most popular fighters in Bellator MMA right now are welterweight champion Douglas Lima and women’s flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane.
It looks like neither champion is going to be leaving the promotion anytime soon because Bellator MMA announced that both have signed contract extensions.
The promotion issued the following press release:
BELLATOR RE-SIGNS CHAMPIONS DOUGLAS LIMA AND ILIMA-LEI MACFARLANE TO MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-FIGHT CONTRACT EXTENSIONS
LOS ANGELES – Bellator is proud to announce that welterweight champion Douglas Lima (32-7) and flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-0) will continue to compete inside the Bellator cage after signing exclusive multi-year, multi-fight extensions to remain with the ViacomCBS-owned promotion.
“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.”
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 one-million-dollar prize. Since making his promotional debut in 2011, “The Phenom” has earned 14 victories, including a trio of world titles and 10 finishes, making the American Top Team-product one of the most dominant fighters in the 170-pound division. With 26 of his 32 career victories coming by way of knockout or submission, including consecutive dominant finishes over Andrey Koreshkov and Michael “Venom” Page” in the first two rounds of the World Grand Prix tournament, Lima has recently made it clear that he now has title aspirations at middleweight.
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, while remaining undefeated in her career. With impressive victories over Valerie Letourneau and Veta Arteaga, Macfarlane was the focal point of Bellator’s debut in Hawaii last year and 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.
Please visit Bellator.com for more information.
About Bellator:
Bellator is a leading global mixed martial arts and kickboxing promotion featuring many of the best athletes in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on both Paramount Network and DAZN, the world’s first truly dedicated LIVE sports streaming service. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
