NEW YORK – The score isn’t settled between Rory MacDonald and Douglas Lima, but MacDonald isn’t too concerned about it.
Having recently signed with PFL, former Bellator welterweight champion MacDonald (21-6-1 MMA, 3-2-1 BMMA) has split two fights with the current champ Lima (32-7 MMA, 14-3 BMMA).
In their first outing in January 2018, MacDonald took the 170-pound title from Lima by defeating him via unanimous decision. Then this past October at Bellator 232, Lima was able to avenge his loss and recapture the title by defeating MacDonald in the welterweight grand prix final.
That would be MacDonald’s final fight with the promotion, and while that could have left a bitter taste in his mouth, MacDonald still sees a potential trilogy happening down the line.
“It is what it is, you know?” MacDonald told MMA Junkie on Monday. “Who’s to say we won’t meet up later down the road? We’re not in the same organization at the moment, but I still see myself fighting for a long time, and maybe he is too. You never know where our paths cross again. I don’t worry about it too much. Competition, he won one, I won one, c’est la vie. On to the next.”
MacDonald surprised many with his decision to sign with PFL, but ultimately he is happy with the choice he made.
“Bellator had the opportunity to, you know, not have me as a free agent,” MacDonald said. “But I think just between this organization and wanting to take the risk on free agency, there was discussion, and obviously Bellator, they had their interest. But when it came time that I was able to talk to other promotions, I wanted to play the field. I wanted to see what options were out there, and the best option out for me was PFL.”
