Rory MacDonald issues statement following title loss to Douglas Lima

At Bellator 232 on Saturday, October 26, Rory MacDonald collided with Douglas Lima in the final bout it the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix. The Canadian fighter beat Lima during their first matchup in January 2018, but he wasn’t as successful the second time around.

Their second battle didn’t have as much action as their first matchup, but the welterweights endured a five-round war. After 25 minutes, Lima was declared the winner by unanimous decision and grabbed the belt and the $1 million prize for the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix.

Despite his disappointment, MacDonald felt blessed to have the opportunity. He thanked his supporters on social media after the fight.

“Thankful for the supportive messages from friends and family, this sport has its highs and lows,” he wrote. “Last night wasn’t my night. This is just a bump in the road. I have much to be grateful for, I am richly blessed. Congratulations to the new champion. I’m looking forward to great things coming. Thank you, Lord! Thank you fans.”

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During the post-fight press conference, Rory MacDonald reflected on his performance.

“It’s always so hard to judge in the moment,” (transcript via MMA Fighting). “How I was feeling is I thought I was up two [rounds] to one by the third. Fourth [round], I thought I was up. I really thought I was doing well but he landed great shots, too. Every round was tight. It’s not like ‘oh for sure I won that round’ so maybe I should have acted a little more hungry in there earlier. I went into the fifth and at that point, time was on his side I think.

“In the moment it can feel different from how it looks from an outside perspective so a lot goes on in there really fast,” said Macdonald.

“The rounds just got away from me. Every round was tight though. I’m not too down about it. Just obviously wish I could have done a little more during the fight.”

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 10/28/2019.