Douglas Lima’s Waiting Game

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Bellator MMA welterweight champion Douglas Lima has waited for more than a year to show the mixed martial arts world he is a deserving titleholder. Now, he finally has his opportunity to shine.

Lima, who won the Bellator 170-pound title 15 months ago, makes his first title defense on Friday, when he faces Andrey Koreshkov in the Bellator 140 main event at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. A native of Brazil who trains out of an American Top Team affiliate in Atlanta, Lima was forced to the sidelines following his title win due to a knee injury that resulted in multiple surgeries.

“I had three surgeries in the last year on my knee and then I had an infection in there that kept me out even longer,” Lima told Sherdog.com. “The healing and rehab took a long time. It’s good now, though. The knee feels good, and I can do everything in the gym. I’ve been able to train all-out for about three or four months, and that’s more than enough time. After about the first six weeks of training, I was back in top shape.”

Lima was originally scheduled defend his welterweight crown against Paul Daley in the co-main event of Bellator 134 in February, but a recurrence of his knee problems forced him to withdraw from the bout and postponed his first title defense until the matchup with Koreshkov.

“I just want to come out and give a good show for the fans,” the 27-year-old Lima said. “I can’t wait for this fight. It’s been a long time. Camp has been great for me. I’m finally healthy again. I missed a lot of time, but I feel great coming back. I feel good and feel strong. I’m just blessed to have a good team, and I can’t wait to be back in there.”

In his last outing, Lima captured the vacant Bellator title with a second-round corner stoppage of four-time national judo champion and 2004 Olympian Rick Hawn at Bellator 117 in April 2014. In that fight, Lima took advantage of his standup skills to pepper Hawn’s lead leg with enough kicks to force the judoka’s corner to step in and call a halt to the bout. It marked Lima’s fifth straight win and his 14th victory in his last 15 outings.

A two-time Bellator tournament winner and former Maximum Fighting Championship titleholder, Lima boasts 23 finishes -- 12 knockouts, 11 submissions -- among his 26 professional victories. Despite having been the champion for more than a year, Lima admits he does not always feel like one because he has not yet defended his title.

“I do feel like I’m the champion, but there’s a part of me that doesn’t,” he said. “I’d really like to defend it to show that I’m the champion for a reason. I want to win, defend my title and show I’m the champion. I want to defend the title as much as possible. A real champion should defend their title as much as they can.”

Koreshkov, a pro since October 2010, will serve as a tough initial defense for Lima. The Rusfighters Sport Club representative won Bellator’s Season 10 tournament with a unanimous decision over Adam McDonough at Bellator 122 a year ago and sports 13 finishes among his 17 career victories. Koreshkov’s lone loss came to ex-Bellator champ and current One Championship welterweight titleholder Ben Askren, who stopped the Russian on fourth-round punches. Askren also defeated Lima, earning a five-round unanimous decision at Bellator 64 in April 2012.

“[Koreshkov] is a good mid-range striker,” Lima said. “He’s tall and just a tough guy. He’s tall and very solid. I feel like we match up well, though. We both like to strike. I think it’ll be an excellent fight. I’m just happy to be able to fight somebody like him. I can’t wait to fight for the people.”

The Lima-Koreshkov fight anchors a Bellator 140 lineup that features multiple welterweight fights, including bouts showcasing Daley, Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Josh Neer and rising British prospect Michael Page. However, Lima has not even considered an opponent beyond Koreshkov. He wants to get past the Russian by any means necessary.

“I just want to do the same thing I’ve been doing in every fight,” said Lima, who has compiled an 8-1 record since arriving in Bellator a little less than four years ago. “I feel like my striking has been working well, but I’ll be comfortable wherever the fight winds up. If we stand up and strike, then I’ll be good there, but if it ends up on the ground, I’ll be good there, as well. I’m just ready for the fight. I’m just going to fight wherever the fight goes and get the win.”